BIOMECHANICS OF THE CANINE STIFLE - ARCH ITECTURAL STUDY OF THE TIBIAL PROXIMAL JOINT END - DEDUCTIONS ABOUT THE PATTERNS OF THE FORCES ACTING THROUGH THE NORMAL AND THE UNSTABLE KNEE

The architectural pattern of the trabecular bone at the proximal end o f the dog's tibia is described from radiographs of bone serial section s. Then it is confronted to a static analysis of the effective forces acting through the stifle joint in the quadrupedal stance. This clearl y shows that the orientation of trabecular bone groups results from th e combined action of a bending moment and a compressive strength. The orientation of this force and the point where it applies are estimated , and the consequences of stifle instability in the frontal, sagittal and horizontal plans are analysed.