Internal Rotation Measurement of the Knee with Polymer-Based Capacitive Strain Gauges versus Mechanical Rotation Measurement Taking Gender Differences into Account: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

With the conventional mechanical rotation measurement of joints, only static measurements are possible with the patient at rest. In the future, it would be interesting to carry out dynamic rotation measurements, for example, when walking or participating in sports. Therefore, a measurement method with an elastic polymer-based capacitive measuring system was developed and validated. In our system, the measurement setup was comprised of a capacitive strain gauge made from a polymer, which was connected to a flexible printed circuit board. The electronics integrated into the printed circuit board allowed data acquisition and transmission. As the sensor strip was elongated, it caused a change in the spacing between the strain gauge’s electrodes, leading to a modification in capacitance. Consequently, this alteration in capacitance enabled the measurement of strain. The measurement system was affixed to the knee by adhering the sensor to the skin in alignment with the anterolateral ligament (ALL), allowing the lower part of the sensor (made of silicone) and the circuit board to be in direct contact with the knee’s surface. It is important to note that the sensor should be attached without any prior stretching. To validate the system, an in vivo test was conducted on 10 healthy volunteers. The dorsiflexion of the ankle was set at 2 Nm using a torque meter to eliminate any rotational laxity in the ankle. A strain gauge sensor was affixed to the Gerdii’s tubercle along the course of the anterolateral ligament, just beneath the lateral epicondyle of the thigh. In three successive measurements, the internal rotation of the foot and, consequently, the lower leg was quantified with a 2 Nm torque. The alteration in the stretch mark’s length was then compared to the measured internal rotation angle using the static measuring device. A statistically significant difference between genders emerged in the internal rotation range of the knee (p = 0.003), with female participants displaying a greater range of rotation compared to their male counterparts. The polymer-based capacitive strain gauge exhibited consistent linearity across all measurements, remaining within the sensor’s initial 20% strain range. The comparison between length change and the knee’s internal rotation angle revealed a positive correlation (r = 1, p < 0.01). The current study shows that elastic polymer-based capacitive strain gauges are a reliable instrument for the internal rotation measurement of the knee. This will allow dynamic measurements in the future under many different settings. In addition, significant gender differences in the internal rotation angle were seen.