Purpose- The object of the
study was to aid in the diagnosis and assessment of disorders of the knee joint,
by calculating the forces transmitted by the ligaments, tendons and articular
surfaces, in normal subjects and in a range of pathological conditions.
Amongst the most difficult orthopaedic conditions to diagnose are soft tissue
injuries of the knee, particularly injuries involving the menisci and the ligaments.
Accurate diagnosis, and particularly an assessment of the severity of an injury,
is necessary before deciding whether conservative or operative treatment is
indicated (Ginsbury & Ellsasser, 1978).
It is anticipated that the force transmitted by different joint structures during
walking will prove to be a more accurate guide to the presence and degree of
injury than conventional methods of clinical examination.