OBSERVATION OF LUBRICATION FILM IN SYNOVIAL JOINT

Painless movement is very important in active life; therefore, a proper function of our synovial joints is necessary. Synovial joints can be injured during human life in several ways. When a synovial joint is too damaged, it has to be replaced by an artificial joint. There is a common effort to postpone operations of total endoprosthesis as long as possible. The reason is limited lifetime of artificial joints. An operation can be postponed by alternative approaches, for example by viscosuplementation. The issue of lubrication in natural joints is not explored enough. The understanding of lubrication process can assist in the development and understanding of new suitable medical treatments. This study is focused on the observation of a lubrication film in a model of synovial joint. A contact is simulated between a cartilage pin and a glass desk in reciprocating tribometer and the contact area is observed. The goal of this study is to describe the contact area and correlation between friction trends and the formation of lubrication film.