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Biotribology: Friction, wear, and lubrication of natural synovial joints
Author(s) -
Furey Michael J.,
Burkhardt Bettina M.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
lubrication science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.632
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 1557-6833
pISSN - 0954-0075
DOI - 10.1002/ls.3010090303
Subject(s) - lubrication , tribology , synovial joint , osteoarthritis , joint (building) , cartilage , joint disease , materials science , articular cartilage , composite material , medicine , anatomy , structural engineering , engineering , pathology , alternative medicine
Studies have been carried out over the past several years to explore possible interconnections between tribology — the study of friction, wear, and lubrication — and arthrology, more specifically, mechanisms of synovial joint lubrication and degeneration. The focus of this paper is on the tribological behaviour of natural and so‐called ‘normal’ synovial joints. A separate paper deals with possible connections between tribology and degenerative joint disease (e.g., osteoarthritis). The purpose of this paper is fourfold: (1) to present a summary of salient work on mechanisms of synovial joint lubrication; (2) to review the key findings of our in vitro wear studies made with bovine articular cartilage; (3) to discuss the significance of the cartilage wear studies in relation to existing joint lubrication theories; and (4) to describe a new device being used for studies of cartilage‐on‐cartilage deformation, friction, wear and damage under in vitro conditions.