PURPOSE: To analyse the biomechanical function of the knee joint in dogs, comparing the cranial translation degree and articular stiffness of the tibia in relation to the femur, in normal joints and joints with rupture of cranial crucial ligament. METHODS: Ten mongrel dog knees were analyzed, weighting more than 20 kg. Biomechanical analysis to the cranial translation degree of the knee joint with normal cranial cruciate ligament and surgically sectioned was made. Mechanical assays was realized by Kratos 5002 machine, and recorded in real time the parameters of force (N) and translation/deformation, in mm. The assay had consisted in to use a force(N) registering the cranial translation. RESULTS: To the normal knee, the deslocation media founded after 3 repetitions was 3,39 ; 3,47; 3,53. To the knee with surgical section was 12,96; 13,24; 13,34. The statistical analysis reveled significant diference between groups to the cranial tranlation e articular stiffness (p<0,05). CONCLUSION: These study allows to conclude that the cranial translation is added in four times and the articular stiffness is reduced one and a half times when statistically compared.
Biomechanics; Knee; Ligaments; Dogs
