The Mechanism for the Effects of Joint Biomechanical Properties on Medial Cartilage of Tibiofemoral Joint Degeneration

Cartilage degeneration in the medial tibiofemoral joint is common after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), which may develop into knee osteoarthritis (disability rate 21.3%). Alterations in joint biomechanical properties play an important role in cartilage degeneration after ACLR. However, the mechanism remains unclear. Our research studied the joint kinematics and kinetics properties after ACLR and found significant changes in biomechanics in the ACLR knees. Therefore, this study will combine longitude biochemical changes in the cartilage to explore how the alterations in biomechanics would influence biochemical changes in the joint cartilage. This study will explore the joint biomechanical properties during functional activities by motion analysis, the effects of biomechanical properties on cartilage stress distribution by finite element analysis, the long-term biochemical changes in the joint cartilage by functional MRI. This study will establish prediction models for cartilage biomechanical changes in the mid-term based on joint biomechanical properties in the early stage after ACLR, and cartilage biomechanical changes in the long-term based on joint biomechanical properties in the mid-term after ACLR. The study aims to clarify the mechanism of cartilage degeneration after ACLR and search biomechanical risk factors, in order to provide methods for clinical prevention of cartilage degeneration after ACLR.