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Novel approach to dynamic knee laxity measurement using capacitive strain gauges

  • Knee
  • Published:
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

Knee joint laxities are observed in patients after severe trauma to the joint, resulting in ligament tears. Specifically, injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament may cause a significant instability. The degree of these laxities is essential in diagnostics and may affect which treatment option is suggested.

Methods

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) strain gauges are proposed as a non-invasive, highly accurate and easy-to-use measurement method to quantify anterolateral and rotational laxities of the knee joint during active and passive motion. In this work, proof-of-concept measurements and a prototype of the proposed device are displayed. The measurements were taken using a knee test rig, which has specifically been designed for this purpose. This apparatus allows the simulation of isolated knee joint instabilities with a motor-controlled model of a human knee.

Results

The absolute sensitivity \(\frac{{\Delta C}}{{\Delta l}}\) of an exemplary sensor was determined to be 2.038 \(\frac{\text{pF}}{\text{mm}}\); the relative sensitivity \(\frac{{\Delta C}}{\varepsilon }\) was 1.121 \(\frac{\text{pF}}{\% }\). Optimal positions of sensors to capture bone-to-bone displacement as projected displacement on the skin were identified.

Conclusion

PDMS strain gauges are capable of measuring bone-to-bone displacements on the skin. We present an experimental in vitro study using an artificial knee test rig to simulate knee joint laxities and display the feasibility of our novel measurement approach.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) (WO 883/15-1 and WO 883/16-1), the MFG-Stiftung Baden-Wuerttemberg and the Deutsche Kniegesellschaft e. V. (DKG) for research grants and financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Freiburg University Hospital, 79106, Freiburg, Germany

    Martin Zens, Philipp Niemeyer, Anke Bernstein, Matthias J. Feucht, Jan Kühle, Norbert P. Südkamp & Herrmann O. Mayr

  2. Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 102, 79110, Freiburg, Germany

    Martin Zens & Peter Woias

Authors
  1. Martin Zens
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  2. Philipp Niemeyer
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  3. Anke Bernstein
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  4. Matthias J. Feucht
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  6. Norbert P. Südkamp
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  7. Peter Woias
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  8. Herrmann O. Mayr
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Correspondence to Martin Zens.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Zens, M., Niemeyer, P., Bernstein, A. et al. Novel approach to dynamic knee laxity measurement using capacitive strain gauges. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 23, 2868–2875 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-015-3771-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-015-3771-9

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