< Back to previous page

Publication

Osteoarthritis of the thumb joint: occurrence mechanism and understanding via medical imaging and computer modeling techniques

Book - Dissertation

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a very common degenerative joint disease that affects the integrity of the articular cartilage and which most important symptoms are pain and loss of mobility. This chronic disorder affects primarily the middle-aged and elderly population with a fast increasing prevalence with aging. Mechanical factors play an important role in the development of OA, but how joint loading, intra-articular contact patterns and joint morphology are interrelated and linked to the onset of OA has not been determined. The main objective of our project is to introduce new computational and experimental platforms to improve our understanding of OA occurrence mechanisms in the specific context of the human trapeziometacarpal (TMC) joint. The TMC joint is located at the base of the thumb and composed of the first metacarpal and trapezium. It has a concavo-convex structure allowing high thumb mobility and providing the human hand with unique prehension abilities. However, this joint is also prone to degenerative changes, with TMC OA occurring in more than one third of women/men above 60. The platforms developed in this project are based on biomechanical concepts that define the independent behavior of anatomical structures (e.g. cartilage and ligaments). The specificity of the developed platforms is that they combine these independent concepts in generic computational models and are associated with the most advanced mechanical testing and medical imaging technologies. The objectives are (1) to provide modeling tools to further understand the contact biomechanics, load-driven kinematics and dynamics of the healthy and arthritic human thumb during physiological motion and tasks of daily living; (2) to evaluate the impact of degenerative changes on the biomechanical behavior of the TMC joint; (3) to assess the role and biomechanical behavior of anatomical structures of the human thumb. Such insights will improve our understanding of articular structures and joint function, and will help us to assess their role in the pathomechanics of OA. This knowledge will contribute to better prevention and rehabilitation strategies for this highly disabling condition of the thumb.
Publication year:2017
Accessibility:Open