Ploeg, Heidi-Lynn

Sauer J.L., Potter J.J., Weisshaar C.L., Ploeg H., Thelen D.G., Influence of gender, power and hand position on pelvic motion during seated cycling, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 39:2204-2211, 2007.
Burgers T., Mason J., Niebur G., Ploeg H., Properties of trabecular bone in the distal femur, Journal of Biomechanics, 41:1077-1085, 2008.
Potter J., Sauer J., Weisshaar C., Thelen D., Ploeg H., Gender differences in bicycle saddle pressure distribution during seated cycling, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 40(6):1126-1134, June 2008.
Garcia S., Smith E., Ploeg H., A calibration procedure for a bone loading system, Journal of Medical Devices, 2:0106-1-01106-6, March 2008.
Ploeg H., Buergi M., Wyss U., Hip stem fatigue test prediction, International Journal of Fatigue 31(5):894-905, 2009, available online.
Burgers T., Mason J., Ploeg H., Initial Fixation of a Femoral Knee Component: An In Vitro and Finite Element Study, International Journal of Experimental and Computational Biomechanics, 1(1):23-44, 2009.
Schmidt J., Berg D., Ploeg E.L., Ploeg H., Precision, repeatability and accuracy of Optotrak active-marker motion tracking system, International Journal of Experimental and Computational Biomechanics, 1(1):113-127, 2009.
Vivanco J., Fang S., Levine D., Ploeg H., Evaluation of the mechanical behavior of direct compression molded porous tantalum-UHMWPE construct: a microstructural model, Journal of Applied Biomaterials and Biomechanics, in press.
Kersh M.E. and Ploeg H., A kinematic model for pre-clinical evaluation of patellar implant, International Journal of Experimental and Computational Biomechanics, accepted with minor revisions.

Summary

The research goal of my Bone and Joint Research Laboratory is to understand the human musculo-skeletal system better, in order to aid the development of biomechanical and safe solutions for the prevention, care and treatment of diseased or injured systems. My research applies both experimental and computational methods to investigate the human subject over a wide range of scales from musculoskeletal biomechanics down to bone microstructures. The creation of advanced prevention and treatment strategies requires an understanding of their effects on the tissue structures of the body. Biomechanical models that replicate the physical and physiological behavior of tissue structures are an enabling technology for assessing this interaction. The aim of my research is to evolve the sophistication of biomechanical models, in the form of physical surrogates and computer simulations, in order to refine novel prevention and treatment strategies. Multidisciplinary, industrial and clinical collaborations are required, and therefore, are a natural product of research in this field.

The combination of computational and experimental methods provides a powerful synergy towards the understanding of human biomechanics in the development of innovative strategies for the prevention and treatment of diseases of or injuries to the musculoskeletal system. In view of the time and resource requirements of running biomechanical experiments, there are several advantages to computational modeling of human bones and joints, including: repeatability, reproducibility, adaptability, accessibility and transferability. That is not to say computational modeling replaces experimental methods; but, they are powerful compliments. In vitro and in vivo experiments are required to generate and validate accurate computer models; and, computational models can be applied to design and analyze efficient experiments. The development of an accurate human joint model requires anthropometric and material data of the bone and surrounding tissues, definition of the boundary conditions, and validation. Using numerical algorithms of bone-remodeling, an accurate finite element model may also be used to predict bone adaptation due to changes in its loading environment, for example due to rehabilitation therapy or a surgical procedure.

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Copyright 2009 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System
Date last modified: 22-Jun-2009
Content by: ploeg@engr.wisc.edu
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