An efficient tool for ligament-bone contact simulation

In the literature of human joint mechanics, there is a lack of integrated tools able to provide the spatial configuration of the ligament fibres taking also into account both the fibre elasticity and the mutual unilateral constraints (non compenetration) among adjacent fibres and bones. In this study the potentiality of an efficient tool [1] for the ligament-bone contact simulation, is presented. The tool allows the study of important issues such as: i) finding the fibre configuration and the associated viscoelastic contact forces for a given joint position; ii) determining the equilibrium configuration of the joint anatomical structures for given external forces on the joint; iii) investigation of the mobility of the natural as well as artificial joint complex elements, by detecting the collision of anatomical and artificial elements; iv) surgical planning and ligament reconstruction techniques. The anterior drawer test (ADT) of the ankle joint complex is here exploited to show the potential of the tool.