# The Dynamic Glenoid Track: An Updated Model of Glenohumeral Cartilage Contact During In Vivo Movement

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2021 · $1,041,507

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Anterior shoulder instability is a common problem in physically active individuals and has serious long-term
implications due to the high rate of injury recurrence and the resulting extended time out of work. The injury
leading to anterior instability often includes damage to both the humeral head (Hill-Sachs lesion) and glenoid
bone (bony Bankart lesion). The current surgical guidelines for treating anterior instability in the presence of
bony lesions are based upon biomechanical studies that measured glenohumeral contact regions (the “glenoid
track”) in cadaver specimens during static simulated loading. Cadaver-based biomechanical studies cannot
replicate in vivo loads, kinematics, and muscle activity, and so the current guidelines lack the accuracy and
generalizability needed to guide surgical decision-making in patients with anterior shoulder instability and
subcritical (10% to 20%) glenoid bone loss. A critical need exists to improve our understanding of how
anatomy and kinematics affect glenohumeral articular contact during in vivo movement so that the optimal
surgical treatment can be identified in this challenging patient cohort. The objectives of this study are to define
the dynamic glenoid track and to develop and validate a patient-specific evaluation process, based upon the
dynamic glenoid track, to predict shoulder function after three common surgeries to treat anterior shoulder
instability. In this mechanistic ancillary study, in vivo kinematics from dynamic biplane radiography (DBR) will
be combined with cartilage morphology from MRI to measure glenohumeral contact regions during loaded and
unloaded circumduction and during external rotation at 30°, 60°, 90° and 120° of abduction (the dynamic
glenoid track). The dynamic glenoid track will be measured in healthy controls and compared to the previously
reported static glenoid track. Data from healthy shoulders will then be used to develop a model to predict
cartilage contact and instability in patients based upon bone lesion size and location. The validity and
robustness of the model will be evaluated by testing patients from the parent study prior to surgery. Finally, the
ability of the patient-specific models to predict cartilage contact regions after surgery will be evaluated using
pre and post-surgery data from patients in the parent study. The Specific aims are: 1) to compare the in vivo
dynamic glenoid track in healthy shoulders to the previously reported static glenoid track, 2) to develop and
validate a patient-specific evaluation process for predicting glenohumeral cartilage contact during dynamic in
vivo movement, and 3) to determine the accuracy of the patient-specific model in predicting dynamic
glenohumeral cartilage contact after surgery. Achieving these objectives will provide insight into the anatomic
and kinematic mechanisms that lead to the loss and restoration of anterior shoulder stability, and will clarify
and improve the surgical guideli...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10375039
- **Project number:** 1R01AR080425-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- **Principal Investigator:** William J. Anderst
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $1,041,507
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-09-25 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10375039

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10375039, The Dynamic Glenoid Track: An Updated Model of Glenohumeral Cartilage Contact During In Vivo Movement (1R01AR080425-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-08-02 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10375039. Licensed CC0.

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