Grant: Project Grant

The goal of this project is to develop a new method for measuring loaded deformation of knee cartilage, for application in studying prevention and treatment of osteoarthritis. This is important because osteoarthritis, which affects 1 in 10 Canadians, is triggered by abnormal joint mechanics. Slowing or reversing the disease requires changing joint mechanics with approaches like surgery and bracing. It is difficult to study the effectiveness of potential joint protection approaches because there is currently no method for studying how load is distributed in the knee joint. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) makes measurements that are sensitive to the deformation of the cartilage due to load and may be useful, but work so far has been limited because most MRI scanners don't allow people to load their knees. We have an extraordinary opportunity to study a new potential MRI measure for loaded deformation of cartilage because we have access to an upright, open MRI scanner, which allows us to image participants standing up, while they load their knees. Our objectives are to develop this new method, determine how accurate and repeatable it is, and try it out in a study of patients with damaged joint structures that may cause abnormal loading in the joint. The significance of this work is that it will provide a tool to identify the mechanical causes of osteoarthritis and to assess how well treatments (surgery, physical therapy, activity modification) correct mechanical disorders in the joints. This knowledge is essential to reducing the burden of osteoarthritis.