Researchers at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute (ABI) have been developing computer software that could allow surgeons to predict how successful an operation will be.

ABI, a musculoskeletal modelling research group, has received funding from the National Center for Simulation in Rehabilitation Research (NCSRR) at Stanford University.

Dr Thor Besier, a principal investigator leading the project, says 'One of the biggest challenges that we face is that it takes an enormous amount of time and effort to create subject-specific models from imaging data.

The current modelling software available is unable to take into account the subtle differences, for instance in joint and muscle size. These are critical factors in estimating the forces and function of a person's musculoskeletal system', he says.

The new software will utilise OpenSim, an open-source modelling software used in laboratories around the world to study musculoskeletal injury and sports performance, and expand on its functions so that accurate models of musculoskeletal systems can be generated.

It is hoped that in the future the new modelling will assist with developing 'virtual' treatment plans that can be tailored to patients, possibly reducing the need for surgery.

'A patient with knee osteoarthritis, for example, who might otherwise have undergone expensive joint replacement surgery could be found to be an excellent candidate for gait (walking) retraining or a knee stabilising brace,' says Dr Besier.