Studying the development, anatomy, biomechanics, and function of the knee is important for preventative methods/procedures, improved diagnosis, and successful surgical treatment. Many individuals with knee injuries seek medical treatment, often involving surgical intervention. The most common knee surgery is meniscus surgery followed by anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.
However, these surgeries potentially alter the biomechanical stability/integrity of the joint. Additionally, the role of partial meniscal resection in several postoperative biomechanical scenarios has yet to be fully understood. Therefore, the role of this project would be to describe the gross developmental anatomy of neonatal and adult knees and to investigate key elements pertaining to pressure changes on the tibial plateau with partial meniscectomies. These objectives will be achieved by using a combination of fresh and embalmed tissue dissection and biomechanical testing devices to describe, evaluate, and quantitatively examine the various material properties of the knee and meniscus under predefined mechanical parameters. This study will be multidisciplinary and form collaborations that incorporate anatomy, biomechanics, and orthopedics.
