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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 January 2012
A fluid lubrication model for articular cartilage was put forward by McCutchen, in which a high percentage of the load is supported by fluidpressurization in the interface region separating the two cartilage coatedsurfaces as the cartilage is compressed under load. This reduces thefriction by reducing the percentage of the load which is carried by solidmaterial in the cartilage. For two bones which are in contact in a healthyjoint, which are each coated by a layer of cartilage whose thickness is muchsmaller than its lateral dimensions, it will be argued that since the boneis impervious to fluid flow in healthy joints, almost all of the fluid thatis expressed from the cartilage under load flows through the interfaceregion, where it supports part of the load. This is in contrast to previoustheoretical and in vitro experimental studies of this problem, in which mostof the fluid does not flow into the interface. It is shown that for meanasperity height small compared to a length scale (which depends on thecartilage or hydrogel permeability, the fluid viscosity and the dimensionsof the cartilage or hydrogel) a large percentage of the load is supported byfluid pressurization.