# EFFECTS OF BRACING ON STRESSES IN THE PERTHES HIP

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF IOWA · 1987 · $36,095

## Abstract

This proposal is designed to test the hypothesis that braces used for the
treatment of Legg-Calve-Perthes' Disease (LCPD) do not substantially alter
the stress distribution within the diseased but undeformed femoral head.
While bracing is the most commonly used treatment for LCPD, there is little
firm clinical evidence, and virtually no experimental evidence, to confirm
the long term efficacy of braces.  Clinical evidence of efficacy is
difficult to produce since the deleterious effects of LCPD are often not
apparent for many (20 to 40) years and since scientifically sound long term
follow-up studies are difficult to carry out.  Until recently, methods did
not exist to study the three-dimensional effects of bracing on the stress
distribution throughout the femoral head during activities of daily
living.  The investigators in this grant have, for the first time, the
multiple capabilities to study this problem in a comprehensive way.

In order to determine the effects of bracing on the stress distribution
throughout the femoral head in LCPD we will:  (1) instrument a modular
Atlanta Scottish Rite abduction brace to allow accurate determination of
all external loads applied to the thigh by the device; (2) carry out
kinematic, kinetic, and EMG analysis of normal children and patients with
early LCPD in and out of the instrumented brace; (3) confirm our existing
models (or develop new CT scan-based models) of bony architecture, surface
contact, and muscle location; (4) calculate the three-dimensional muscle
and joint forces during gait and determine the time-dependent joint contact
geometry; and (5) apply the joint force and contact geometry throughout the
gait cycle to newly developed three-dimensional linear elastic finite
element models of the juvenile proximal femur to allow calculation of the
stress distribution throughout the proximal femur in and out of braces.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3157233
- **Project number:** 5R01AR035510-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
- **SAM.gov UEI:** Z1H9VJS8NG16
- **Principal Investigator:** RICHARD A. BRAND
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1987
- **Award amount:** $36,095
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1985-04-01 → 1988-09-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3157233

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3157233, EFFECTS OF BRACING ON STRESSES IN THE PERTHES HIP (5R01AR035510-03). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-24 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3157233. Licensed CC0.

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