Kontakt 2008, 10(1):184-193 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2008.026

Effects of movements of lower extremities on the hip joint formation and femur torsion developmentBiomedicine

Novotná Jitka^1,*, Frei Robert², Zahálka František¹, Dylevský Ivan^1,3

¹ Univerzita Karlova v Praze, ČR, Fakulta tělesné výchovy a sportu, katedra anatomie a biomechaniky

² Ortopedická klinika Univerzity Karlovy a 2. lékařské fakulty, Fakultní nemocnice Motol

³ Jihočeská univerzita v Českých Budějovicích, Zdravotně sociální fakulta, katedra preklinických oborů

Physiological processes as well as the formation of bones and joints, remodelling and angiogenesis are considerably affected by mechanical factors. The growths cartilage cell population is much more sensitive to immobilization compared with periostal osteoblasts. Many researchers emphasize the importance of the muscular activity and embryonic movements of lower extremities for the physiological skeletal growth and development. However, no clear explanation has been presented. It was observed, that the dynamic motion is important for the formation of the joint cotyle and that the static force contributes to maintaining of the already formed cotyle. Hoverer, the possibility that the movement controls the joint formation has not yet been demonstrated. There is no sufficient demonstration concerning the particular prenatal or postnatal mechanical factors affecting the development and morphology of the femur in the hip joint developmental dysplasia. Only secondary clinical features of the diseases were described. We study the hip joint development and femur torsion based on ultrasonographic examination simultaneously with the usual variety of lower extremity movements with putting emphasize onto the development of the rotational component of the movement with the help of kinematic analysis. Individuals with developmental dysplasia of the hip joint and physiologic development of the hip joint are studied at their age of 2 to 6 weeks and 3 to 4 months. The first measurements indicate that postnatal changes in the femur morphology and hip joint cavity in the developmental dysplasia of the hip joint are developed as soon as prenatally and are related to the development of the motor activity and movements of lower extremities.

Keywords: mechanical factors; joint formation; femur torsion; movement of lower extremities

Received: March 21, 2008; Accepted: May 12, 2008; Prepublished online: June 27, 2008; Published: July 27, 2008  Show citation