The relationship between surface topography and contact in the elbow joint: Development of a two-dimensional geometrical model in the coronal plane

Abstract

One of the first stages in developing an accurate biomechanical representation of the elbow joint is to model realistically the geometry of the joint. In particular, given the complex anatomy of the articular surfaces, the relationship between surface topography and joint contact must be fully understood in order to model the contact conditions. As the joint articulates, the location and size of the contacts between the mating surfaces change, altering the distribution and magnitude of load transmission. In this paper, a geometric model of the anatomical elbow joint in the coronal plane is described. The contours of the articulating surfaces are represented algebraically by a series of connecting lines and circular arcs. It is shown that the location and size of the contact between the surfaces change significantly due to small changes in the topography of one or more of the mating surfaces. The surface topography-joint contact relationship is modelled for a number of different clinical conditions for the joint. The model is relevant to clinical studies of joint degeneration and to the design of prosthetic components for the elbow joint.