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Stress-lowering function of articular cartilage

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Abstract

Nine cadaver human hips were loaded cyclically in a physiological direction and to maxima of about three times body weight. Deformations of the whole joint and of the cartilage only were measured. The tests were repeated after all cartilage had been removed. Hips with normal cartilage showed no permanent deformation after up to 2000 cycles of load, whereas hips with degenerate cartilage showed irrecoverable deformation in the bone. Loading after removal of cartilage produced permanent deformation, accompanied by fatigue cracks, in the bone of all joints. It is concluded that normal cartilage limits the stresses in subchondral bone to a safe level whereas degenerate cartilage does not.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Imperial College, SW7 2AZ, London, England

    M. A. R. Freeman, S. A. V. Swanson & P. T. Manley

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  1. M. A. R. Freeman
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  2. S. A. V. Swanson
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  3. P. T. Manley
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Freeman, M.A.R., Swanson, S.A.V. & Manley, P.T. Stress-lowering function of articular cartilage. Med. & biol. Engng. 13, 245–251 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02477735

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02477735

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