Contact areas in human elbow joints.

The paper describes the results of in-vitro experiments to determine the contact areas in the elbow joint during different anatomical positions. The casting technique, using wax as a casting material, was used in this study. The shape and size of the contact areas change, in different elbow positions ranging from full extension to full flexion. The joint stability was preserved during the experiments. In full extension the area of contact was observed on the lower-medial aspect of the ulna while in other postures the pressure areas were found as a strip extending from posterolateral to anteromedial. The radio-capitulum joint also revealed contact during flexion under no externally applied loads.