Material Uncertainties and the Mechanistic Modeling of the Human Knee

Biomechanical models of articular joints are highly useful for understanding joint functions in normal and pathological states (c.f. [1]). The accuracy, however, of the model predictions is a complex function of the model structure/formulation (number of degrees-of-freedom) and uncertainties associated with the model constituents including properties of the joint’s soft tissues. Previous studies have provided extensive experimental quantification of knee joint soft tissue properties for use in developing and validating numerical models of these tissues [2]. However, there are as of yet no quantitative analytical studies on the impact of material property uncertainties on the prediction of joint kinematics or kinetics.