Design optimization of spring loaded knee brace for knee arthritis using finite element analysis

• Main Author: Mohd Idris, Siti Naimah Solehah
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English; English
• Published: 2021
• Subjects: T Technology (General); TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
• Online Access: http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/26719/; https://plh.utem.edu.my/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=121766

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common cause of knee arthritis in people. It also affects the physical functioning of the person. According to the 2010 Global Burden of Disease Study, an estimated 251 million people worldwide are living with OA knees. In many people, this is a major cause of work loss and severe disability. Individuals of all ages, genders, and races can and may have arthritis. The non-invasive treatment options are becoming more prevalent in the treatment of this medical symptom, and the use of knee braces is one alternative. Many studies have shown a reduction in pain and improved gait efficiency due to brace stabilization. Nevertheless, there is still a shortage of biomechanical studies to establish how a brace functions to alleviate pain. While knee braces are both practical and secure, their current designs are not widely used due to their bulkiness, which causes discomfort and difficulties for the wearer during extended periods of use. Since most Malaysians are suffering from osteoarthritis, this research will concentrate on knee support devices to prevent the development of osteoarthritis in Malaysia. The goal of this research is to optimize existing knee support devices and to evaluate the efficacy of improved design by using an optimization tool which is a SOLIDWORKS Simulation-Finite Element Analysis. Specifically, lightweight and portable knee braces will be designed to improve comfort, reduce knee pain and enhance the mobility of injured knees in daily life and sports activities. The quantitative method will be implemented in this study. The samples of this study were selected using a purposive sampling technique among Malaysian. Several people will be chosen to be respondents in this study according to their gender, age, ethnicity and profession. The information that received from the respondent is to understand what consumer need with knee support devices. So it can help in developing a product that fits the requirements of the users. The comparison of finite element analysis of improved design with the current spring-loaded knee brace is made, it is to compare the peak stresses that obtained when applying a certain force while performing physical activities. The stress on the knee brace gives a clear indication that knee brace is effective in shielding stress from the knee. This is because the stress is reduced from 58.67 MPa to 41.57 MPa. Therefore, the improved design offers a lightweight and compact knee brace to protect the knee from stress by increasing comfort, reducing pain in the knee, and enhancing injured knee mobility in daily life or sports activities.