Musculoskeletal Model Development and Biomechanical Evaluation of the Levitation Knee Brace

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a debilitating musculoskeletal disease affecting approximately 1/3 of Canadians over the age of 25. Knee braces are often prescribed for OA patients to restore joint function and reduce pain in an attempt to avoid or delay knee replacement surgery. Most braces are designed to offload one side of the knee, however, more than 95% of knee OA patients have OA that affects more than one compartment of their joint. Spring Loaded Technology has designed the Levitation™ “Tri-Compartment Unloader” knee brace to reduce forces in all three compartments of the knee. This study aims to determine how effectively the brace offloads the knee joint by developing and using a musculoskeletal model along with several data analysis techniques. These evaluations of the Levitation knee brace are needed to prove efficacy of the device, which will contribute to growth and market success for Spring Loaded Technology.

Faculty Supervisor:

Janet Lenore Ronsky

Student:

Ryan Baxter

Partner:

Spring Loaded Technology

Discipline:

Engineering - biomedical

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

University of Calgary