Effect of Stride Length on Knee Contact

doi:10.1007/s12204-024-2577-7

Abstract

Abstract: The knee joint is structurally complex and there are numerous factors that influence knee dynamics. Therefore, it is valuable to study the effect of stride length on knee contact during walking. Moreover, it is crucial to study the mechanical properties of the knee joint for the protection of the knee joint and the mechanism of knee diseases. In this study, a healthy volunteer was invited to investigate the kinematics of the lower limb under different stride lengths by conducting motion capture experiments. Then, a complete and detailed finite element model of the knee was established, and the effect of stride length on the knee contact was studied using the finite element method, where the boundary conditions and loads were set up in accordance with the actual working conditions based on the data obtained from the motion capture experiments. When the stride length was increased by 23.08% compared with the habitual stride length, the knee flexion angle at the beginning moment of the single-legged support phase could be increased by 108.12%, the maximum von Mises stress values on the femur cartilage and meniscus were increased from 5.888 to 16.023MPa and from 5.599 to 17.387 MPa, respectively, and the high-stress zone on the contact surface was also significantly shifted. When the stride length was reduced by 12.31% compared to the habitual stride length, the knee flexion angle at the moment of the end of the singlelegged support phase was reduced by 62.22%, and the maximum von Mises stress values on the femur cartilage and meniscus were reduced from 5.362MPa to 2.074MPa and from 5.255MPa to 1.986MPa, respectively. The results of this paper indicate that when exercising and preventing or treating stride knee diseases by walking, people should choose a suitable stride for exercise according to the health condition of the knee and avoid over-pursuing a large stride to improve the exercise effect, while a smaller stride is suitable for most people.

Key words: knee contact, lower extremity kinematics, motion capture, finite element method

摘要： 膝关节的结构复杂，而且影响膝关节运动的因素较多，因此研究步行过程中步幅对膝关节接触的影响对保护膝关节和探究膝关节疾病的产生机理都具有重要意义。本研究中，邀请了一名健康志愿者，通过动作捕捉实验探究了不同步幅下的下肢运动学特性。同时，建立了一个完整精细的膝关节有限元模型，并通过有限元分析研究了步幅对膝关节接触的影响。其中边界条件和载荷是根据动作捕捉实验中获得的符合实际工况的数据设置的。当行走步幅比习惯步幅增加23.08%时，单腿支撑阶段开始时刻的膝关节屈曲角度增加了108.12%，软骨和半月板上的最大von Mises应力值分别从5.888 MPa、5.599MPa增加到16.023 MPa、17.387 MPa，接触面上的高应力区也有显著偏移。当行走步幅比习惯步幅减少12.31%时，单腿支撑阶段结束时刻的膝关节屈曲角度减少了62.22%，软骨和半月板上的最大von Mises应力值分别从5.362 MPa、5.255 MPa减少到2.074 MPa 、1.986 MPa。研究结果表明：通过步行锻炼膝关节和预防、治疗膝关节疾病时，人们应该根据膝关节的健康状况选择合适的步幅进行锻炼，避免过度追求大步幅来提高锻炼效果，而通过较小的步幅进行锻炼则适合大多数人群。

关键词: 膝关节接触，下肢运动学，动作捕捉，有限元法

CLC Number:

R318.01

Chen Huiran, Fu Rongchang, Yang Xiaozheng, Li Pengju, Wang Kun. Effect of Stride Length on Knee Contact[J]. J Shanghai Jiaotong Univ Sci, 2025, 30(4): 759-767.

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