• Text in Japanese

New medical instruments for sports medicine and orthopaedic surgery

UNESCO defines sports as physical activity that promotes health (2015). Indeed, it is well established that sports reduces the number of deaths caused by non-communicable disease, which Lancet estimates accounts for 68% globally (2012). Overall, sports are good for health and lifespan, and will have high impact on societies.

With this point in mind, a lot of biomechanical research has been performed on bone, cartilage, ligaments and tendons. Further, progressing in minimal invasive surgery such as arthroscopic surgery, sports medical biomechanics is commanding attention as academic research for therapy that promotes health recovery, benefitting athletes and sports enthusiasts.

Based on collaborative research with industry on biomechanics and sports medicine, this course will examine arthroscopic surgery treatments for sports injuries, including their development and practical application. The course will also discuss how to advance these surgical techniques and exercise therapies for wider patient care.

Evaluation of ligament/meniscus load and tibia position relative to femur during external tibial loading with 6-degree-of-freedom robotic simulator. a) 6DOF robotic simulator b) biomechanical analysis of porcine knee. Click to enlarge

Tensile testing machine. Elongation during cyclic loading and load-to-failure test are measured. Click to enlarge