Lubrication of joints.

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The dissipative forces (nonelastic retarding forces) in weight-bearing joints were investigated in living knee joints of rabbits. Skin and muscles were removed but nutrient vessels were left intact. The load forces applied and the speeds of sliding of the cartilages were comparable to those occurring in the intact animal. The results differed from those found in other studies in that only a small part of the dissipative force was independent of velocity. Under conditions similar to those in a running rabbit, at least 80% of the dissipative force was due to a force which was found to increase both with the velocity of sliding and with the load force. No significant part of the dissipative force could be localized in the capsule of the joint. These results appear to be consistent with a hypothesis that the resistance to motion in joints is due to the viscosity of an extremely thin film of fluid separating the two cartilaginous surfaces, with some dry friction occurring at localized breaks in this film. This hypothesis requires, however, that the thickness of the separating fluid film is less than 0. 01 [mu].

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: