Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Center of Ioannina

Kinetics is the study of forces, moments and powers. We can study them in a biomechanic laboratory with the aid of force-plates, in which we can actually measure the ground reaction forces applied at the lower limb joints and especially at the knee joint. A force-plate can provide ground reaction forces in all three axes (antero-posterior, vertical and mediolateral). The evaluation of the ground reaction forces is of great importance. Specifically, it renders us capable to assess (in combination with the kinematic data collected) the forces and the moments applied in the joints. They can be used in both static and dynamic tests. Thus, human locomotion system can be examined in various activities (i.e. balance, walking and running).
The combined study of kinetics, kinematics and electromyographic data can offer us a holistic view of the subject's musculoskeletal dynamic performance. This way, we can measure a patient during static tests (i.e. standing still on a force-plate) or dynamic activities (i.e. walking). The patients that can be examined are athletes with a musculoskeletal injury that have been treated with surgery or conservatively or children with cerebral palsy before and after operative treatment, evaluating their course of rehabilitation. We can also study movements of healthy athletes and improve their technique, through biomechanical evaluation, in order to reduce their possibility of injury and enhance their performance. Finally, we can study patients with the same injury, but treated with different surgical techniques, so as to conclude to the most suitable way of treatment.
In an ACL reconstructed patient, is interesting to study:
- the role of ACL at knee joint stability and if the surgical reconstruction of its rupture can restore knee biomechanics to its normal levels
- neuromuscular functional adaptations after ACL rupture and reconstruction
- knee biomechanics after the application of different surgical protocols (use of BPTB or hamstrings)
- if it is possible that cartilage damage that seems to develop in the ACL reconstructed knee, initiates because current reconstruction techniques do not fully restore normal biomechanical function of the knee