Knackered Knees

Humans endure a variety of problems as a result of walking upright – clear proof we were not intelligently designed. Aside from back problems and possible birth issues, damaged knees are a drawback of life on two feet. In fact, it’s estimated nearly half of us will suffer knee osteoarthritis at some point. Replacing worn out knees with artificial ones is a last resort. Another option is to implant a supportive plate into the existing joint before it’s kaput. But, outcomes of such surgery are often disappointing. The problem is, knee shapes vary but the plates don’t and a good fit isn’t guaranteed. Advances in 3D imaging of joints and in 3D printing, however, may soon enable production of personalised plates – like the one illustrated. Tailored to fit a patient precisely, the plates will hopefully provide a more comfortable and flexible way to overcome this evolutionary shortcoming than was previously possible.

Written by Ruth Williams

Ruth Williams

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Ruth is a freelance science journalist based in the US. She's a regular correspondent for The Scientist, and her work has appeared in The Lancet, Nature, Scientific American Mind, BBC Focus and elsewhere. Twitter @rooph

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• Image from the University of Bath
• Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Bath, Bath, UK
• Image copyright held by the original authors
• Research published in Communications Medicine, June 2021