Articular contact vs. embedding: the effect of boundary conditions on volar plate fixation at the distal radius: 27th Congress of the European Society of Biomechanics, 26.-29.06.2022, Porto, Portugal

Distal radius fractures (DRF) are among the most
common fractures and treatment often involves surgical
reduction and internal fixation with a volar locking plate
(VLP). Due to their high incidence, fracture treatments
are extensively investigated – both with experiments
and finite element analyses (FEA). Still, the loading
conditions are often highly simplified. In experiments,
load is typically applied uniaxially at the radiocarpal
joint (RCJ) using embedding materials or indenters of
arbitrary shape [1]. In FEA models, either embedding
material is used or point loads are applied at the articular
surface [2]. Only rarely, carpal bones and articular
contact are accounted for [3]. However, the load
distribution at the RCJ might be of high relevance for
the loading of the VLP system, as the distal screws are
positioned just below the articular surface. This study
investigates if the effort of implementing complex
boundary conditions with articular contact is justified to
predict VLP loading parameters accurately.