Towards the development of a novel experimental shoulder simulator with rotating scapula and individually controlled muscle forces simulating the rotator cuff

A preclinical analysis of novel implants used in shoulder surgery requires biomechanical testing conditions close to physiology. Existing shoulder experiments may only partially apply multiple cycles to simulate postoperative, repetitive loading tasks. The aim of the present study was therefore the development of an experimental shoulder simulator with rotating scapula able to perform multiple humeral movement cycles by simulating individual muscles attached to the rotator cuff. A free-hanging, metallic humerus pivoted in a polyethylene glenoid is activated by tension forces of linear electroactuators to simulate muscles of the deltoideus (DELT), supraspinatus (SSP), infraspinatus/teres minor and subscapularis. The abductors DELT and SSP apply forces with a ratio of 3:1 up to an abduction angle of 85°. The rotating scapular part driven by a rotative electro actuator provides one-third to the overall arm abduction. Resulting joint forces and moments are measured by a 6-axis load cell. A linear increase in the DELT and SSP motors is shown up to a maximum of 150 and 50 N for the DELT and SSP, respectively. The force vector in the glenoid resulted in 253 N at the maximum abduction. The present investigation shows the contribution of individual muscle forces attached to the moving humerus to perform active abduction in order to reproducibly test shoulder implants.