Patent ID: 8888718

Claim:
An arrangement for assessing three-axis stability of a joint of an animal limb, the joint positioned between a proximal portion and a distal portion of the limb, the distal portion having a longitudinal axis, comprising: a means for rigidly fixing a distal end of the proximal portion of the limb relative to the joint; a means for receiving and holding a distal end of the distal portion; an instrumented handle, detachably engagable upon the means for receiving and holding, for applying an amount of force to the joint to assess, depending upon where the force is applied, a stability of the joint to each of: a varus moment, a valgus moment, a rotation in an internal direction, a rotation in an external direction, a force in an anterior direction and a force in a posterior direction; and a means for monitoring the amount of force applied by the force-applying means; a means for monitoring, in three-dimensional space, a position and an orientation of the rigidly fixing means relative to the receiving and holding means; and computing means for receiving data generated from the means for monitoring orientation and position and the means for monitoring applied force, calculating joint motions and applied forces and moments in real time from the received data and displaying results of the calculations.