Non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are a major concern in sport-related activities due to dynamic knee movements. We are developing and validating experimentally validated FE model of knee to study ACL injury mechanism as well as to validate the effects of various types of braces. MRI images of a cadaver knee specimen were segmented and meshed to develop the FE model geometries. Knee ligament insertion sites are accurately placed in the model through digitization technique. The response of the model is validated under physiological knee motions with published experimental data. Single-leg jump landing motion is simulated on the validated model with muscle forces and kinematic inputs derived from motion capture and rigid body modelling of ten participants. The model and the empirical relation developed in this study could be used to better predict ACL injury risk and prevention strategies during dynamic activities. The model is also being used to study effectives of knee braces on ligament strains.
