Dynamic Orthopaedic Implants

Implanted Knee Brace

Traumatic injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) has become a public health epidemic, especially among young athletes. Approximately 80% of ACL injuries are non-contact, which means that the trauma is not caused by physical interactions between individuals. Certain motions are common across these non-contact injuries, such as internal rotation and anterior translation of the tibia. Short-term consequences of ACL injury include pain, joint instability, temporary disability, absence from work or sports, and the financial burdens of treatment and rehabilitation. These injuries also have significant long-term consequences; even in the case of successful reconstruction, ACL-injured knees develop osteoarthritis (OA) at a rate of 60% and are seven times more likely to need a total knee replacement. Preventative measures, including training programs and knee-braces, are controversial and have not been shown to universally decrease injury risk. In this project, we aim to establish feasibility of an implanted knee brace to prevent ACL injury by inhibiting motions that would endanger the ACL, without impeding normal gait motion.

• Project Lead: Ophelie Herve
• Surgical Collaborator: David McAllister (Orthopaedic Surgery, UCLA)
• Project Team: Will Flanagan, Sean Thomas, Niki Krockenberger