The beneficial effects of HBO in inflammatory processes make it an attractive type of treatment for chronic arthritis. In addition, the effects of combination therapy based on adipose stem cells and HBO on OA progression have not been fully investigated. The current study explored the efficacy of intra-articular injection of allogeneic adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) combined with hyperbaric oxygenation treatment (HBO) in a rat osteoarthritis (OA) model. The rat OA model was induced by intra-articular injection of monoiodoacetate (MIA) and 7 days after application of MIA rats were divided into five groups: healthy control (CTRL), osteoarthritis (OA), ADMSCs (ADS), the HBO+ADS^21day and HBO+ADS^28day groups. A single dose of 1 × 10⁶ allogeneic ADMSCs suspended in sterile saline was injected into the knee joint alone or in combination with HBO treatment. Rats were sacrificed at 3 or 4 weeks after MIA injection. Treatment outcomes were evaluated by radiographic, morphological and histological analysis and by specific staining of articular cartilage. We also measured the level of inflammatory and pro/antioxidative markers. We confirmed that combined treatment of ADMSCs and HBO significantly improved the regeneration of cartilage in the knee joint. Rtg score of knee joint damage was significantly decreased in the HBO+ADS^21day and HBO+ADS^28day groups compared to the OA. However, the positive effect in the HBO+ADS^28day group was greater than the HBO+ADS^21day group. The articular cartilage was relatively normal in the HBO+ADS^28day group, but moderate degeneration was observed in the HBO+ADS^21day compared to the OA group. These findings are in line with the histopathological results. A significantly lower level of O₂⁻. was observed in the HBO+ADS^28day group but a higher NO level compared to the HBO+ADS^21day group. Moreover, in the HBO+ADS^28day group significantly higher concentrations of IL-10 were observed but there was no significant difference in proinflammatory cytokine in serum samples. These results indicate that a single intra-articular injection of allogeneic ADMSCs combined with HBO efficiently attenuated OA progression after 28 days with greater therapeutic effect compared to alone ADMSCs or after 3 weeks of combined treatment. Combined treatment might be an effective treatment for OA in humans.

In this study we modeled a patient specific 3D knee after anterior cruicate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The purpose of the ACL reconstruction is to achieve stability in the entire range of motion of the knee and the establishment of the normal gait pattern. We present a new reconstruction technique that generates patient-specific 3D knee models from patient?s magnetic resonant images (MRIs). The motion of the ACL reconstruction patients is measured by OptiTrack system with six infrared cameras. Finite element model of bones, cartilage and meniscus is used for determination stress and strain distribution at different body postures during gait analysis. It was observed that the maximum effective von Mises stress distribution up to 8 MPa occurred during 30% of the gait cycle on the meniscus. The biomechanical model of the knee joint during gait analysis can provide insight into the underlying mechanisms of knee function after ACL reconstruction.

Foot load observed as pressure distribution is examined in relation to a foot and ankle functions within the gait cycle. This load defines the modes of healthy and pathological gait. Determination of the patterns of healthy, i.e. “normal” walk is the basis for classification of pathological modes. Eleven healthy participants were examined in this initial study. Participants walked over pressure plate barefoot at their self - selected speed. Maximal values of the pressure were recorded in the heel, the first, the second and the third metatarsal joints and in the hallux region. Largest contact duration is recorded in the metatarsal region.