INSTRUMENTED IMPLANT FOR MEASURING TIBIOFEMORAL FORCES

Experimental measurement of loads occurring in the human knee joint wi ll allow validation of analytical models and provide data for the desi gn of total knee implants. A customized transducer was developed to me asure the dynamic tibiofemoral force and center of pressure after tota l knee arthroplasty. The transducer consists of a standard tibial comp onent to which four uniaxial load cells and an additional tibial tray have been added. The transducer was calibrated using a loading device traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) . The transducer was accurate to within 1% in magnitude, 0.07 mm in me dial/lateral location and 0.24 m in anterior/posterior location.