New dynamic knee anatomy model helps athletic training students identify meniscus injuries

AMES, Iowa – A distinct popping sound or sudden catch in movement. 

An athlete’s expression of sharp, intense pain.

In the field of athletic training, understanding the human body isn’t optional – it’s the foundation of every evaluation, diagnosis and treatment decision that shapes a patient’s recovery, which begins in the moments following an injury.

Some structures in the body, however, can be difficult to fully understand using textbooks and static models alone, potentially making certain injuries a bit more complicated, too. One notoriously tricky example is the knee meniscus, said Megan Brady, clinical assistant professor of kinesiology and health at Iowa State.

“The meniscus can have a variety of tear patterns, and the subtle differences between these injuries can make it hard for students to visualize what’s really happening inside the knee,” said Brady, who is also a core athletic training faculty member at ISU. 

It was this challenge that led Brady to design and fabricate a new dynamic knee anatomy model that captures the motion and inner workings of the knee – and by extension, improves student learning and understanding of the meniscus.