Biomechanical Evaluation of the Levitation Knee Brace

Baxter, Ryan Charles John

Biomechanical Evaluation of the Levitation Knee Brace

dc.contributor.advisor	Ronsky, Janet
dc.contributor.author	Baxter, Ryan Charles John
dc.contributor.committeemember	Kuo, Arthur
dc.contributor.committeemember	Brandon, Scott
dc.contributor.committeemember	Kuntze, Gregor
dc.contributor.committeemember	Rogers-Bradley, Emily
dc.contributor.committeemember	Charbonneau, Marie
dc.date.accessioned	2023-09-18T15:02:44Z
dc.date.available	2023-09-18T15:02:44Z
dc.date.issued	2023-09-13
dc.description.abstract	Osteoarthritis (OA) is a debilitating musculoskeletal disease affecting approximately one-third of the adult Canadian population. The most common location of OA occurring is at the knee. OA can affect all three compartments of the knee joint. Knee braces are commonly prescribed for knee OA to reduce pain and improve user function. The LevitationTM “Tri-Compartment Unloader” knee brace (Spring Loaded Technology) was designed to reduce forces in all three compartments of the knee by lowering quadriceps muscle activity, a predictor of knee joint contact force. The effect of the Levitation brace on tri-compartment joint contact forces has yet to be fully investigated. The research objective of this study was to preliminarily investigate the effect of the Levitation brace in a healthy subject on 3-dimensional (3-D) joint kinematics and kinetics, and muscle activity, using biomechanical and musculoskeletal (MSK) computer modeling assessments during a step-back lunge movement. An experimental pilot study was performed to assess the effect of the Levitation brace on joint kinematics and kinetics using a novel combined motion analysis and High Speed Biplanar Radiography approach. A musculoskeletal modelling approach was developed to analyze the effect of the Levitation brace on tri-compartment contact forces, resultant joint moments, and simulated muscle activations. The experimental study results indicate that the Levitation brace did not impact knee joint angles between bracing conditions. The brace reduced knee abduction/adduction and internal/external rotation moments when compared to the unbraced condition. The brace’s impact on flexion/extension moments was unclear. The MSK modelling results predict that the Levitation brace reduced peak contact forces in each of the knee compartments when compared to the unbraced condition. The brace increased quadriceps muscle activation and peak knee extension moments compared to the unbraced condition, contrary to what was expected. Together, the experimental and musculoskeletal modelling results provide a 3-D evaluation of the effect of the Levitation brace on tri-compartment knee joint dynamics which can be used to provide further understanding of the brace design efficacy for OA treatment, and can be applied to improve brace product design and provide insights for future product developments.
dc.identifier.citation	Baxter, R. C. J. (2023). Biomechanical evaluation of the Levitation knee brace (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.
dc.identifier.uri	https://hdl.handle.net/1880/117072
dc.language.iso	en
dc.publisher.faculty	Schulich School of Engineering
dc.publisher.institution	University of Calgary
dc.rights	University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subject	Biomechanics
dc.subject	Knee
dc.subject	Brace
dc.subject	Musculoskeletal Modelling
dc.subject.classification	Engineering--Biomedical
dc.title	Biomechanical Evaluation of the Levitation Knee Brace
dc.type	master thesis
thesis.degree.discipline	Engineering – Biomedical
thesis.degree.grantor	University of Calgary
thesis.degree.name	Master of Science (MSc)
ucalgary.thesis.accesssetbystudent	I require a thesis withhold – I need to delay the release of my thesis due to a patent application, and other reasons outlined in the link above. I have/will need to submit a thesis withhold application.