Comparisons of All Designs with Respect to the Cruciate Ligaments

Kinematic analysis of the knee is the study of motion patterns to assess interaction of the femur relative to the tibia in nonimplanted knees and various prosthetic knee replacement designs. A comprehensive understanding of the geometric and kinematic profiles of these prostheses is vital for both arthroplasty surgeons and biomedical engineers designing implants. The motion patterns of a knee following TKA should ideally closely mimic those of the healthy, nonimplanted knee. Numerous kinematic variances from the normal knee have been identified following TKA including paradoxical anterior femoral translation, reverse axial rotation patterns, femoral condylar liftoff, and reduced weightbearing knee flexion. A comprehensive kinematic analysis of the normal and ACL-deficient nonimplanted knee as well as various modern TKA designs will be reviewed. Specifically, we will compare and contrast the kinematic patterns of various modern TKA designs, with a special emphasis on clinical applications.