Knee Biomechanics & Injury Research Programme

A multi-disciplinary approach to understanding the movement and the biomechanics of disorders of the knee joint.

The principal aim of KNEEMOVE is to undertake investigative clinical biomechanics research in healthy and pathological populations to gain an increased understanding into the movement of the knee joint. There is a multi-disciplinary approach combining healthcare professions with orthopaedic surgeons to biomechanists. This would therefore develop a range of research into conditions such as osteoarthritis, anterior cruciate ligament injury, patellofemoral pain syndrome and major injuries and surgery to the knee joint. This work programme has major links with GaitWay, FOOTPRINT and the Rehabilitation Research Group with many activities working alongside these research programmes.

The major focus of the KNEEMOVE research programme is on the knee joint and the associated conditions including osteoarthritis and anterior cruciate ligament injury. KNEEMOVE can be split into two major themes:

Osteoarthritis of the lower limb

Current projects include:

  • Shoes and insoles in the loading at the knee
  • Exercise and osteoarthritis
  • Lateral wedge insoles in osteoarthritis
  • Knee valgus bracing and exercise
  • Knee osteoarthritis and the Alexander Technique
  • APOS therapy gait and clinical investigations
  • High tibial osteotomy and assistive devices
  • Multi-segment foot model and osteoarthritis
  • Foot type and external knee adduction moment during gait
  • Foot type in osteoarthritis patients
  • Foot characteristics in osteoarthritis and responsiveness to lateral wedge insoles
  • Functional electrical stimulation and osteoarthritis of the knee joint
  • Role of analgesics and loading in the knee joint
  • Knee extensor mechanism and bracing
  • Role of patellofemoral bracing and taping on gait

Movement strategies to reduce the potential for injury

Current projects include:

  • ACL WiiFit preventions strategies
  • Can frontal plane knee valgus angle be related to 3-D lower limb kinematics?
  • Does gluteal muscle strength influence knee valgus angle during loading tasks?
  • Control of lower limb and foot kinematics by hip musculature
  • Does lower limb posture differ between patient with anterior knee pain and normal asymptomatic individuals?
  • The effect of patella surgery on patella position as measured by real time ultrasound scanning

The MOVE-MECHANICS research programme integrates into the MSc Trauma and Orthopaedics masters programme in the modules on the lower limb and the applied biomechanics modules. The work programme also feeds into the training for the North West Orthopaedic Registrars programme and allows individuals on this training to become involved in the current research. The undergraduate education is also benefited by the advanced knowledge of movement strategies, orthopaedics and assistive devices in a wide range of conditions.

MSc Sports Injury Rehabilitation & MSc Strength and Conditioning programmes

Here the KNEEMOVE research programmes leads the development of injury screening and outcome measurement projects for the lower limb within both of these MSc programmes.