Knee joint load measuring instrument and joint prosthesis

A joint prosthesis adapted to be located between a first bone and a second bone that form an articulation joint comprising:

• a first component adapted to be coupled to the first bone;
• a second component adapted to be coupled to the second bone;
• and
• transducer means interposed between a joint formed by the first component and the second component, the transducer means having a plurality of spaced-apart force sensors, each sensor providing a representative output signal for forces applied to the transducer means from the first component and the second component when the first bone is articulated with respect to the second bone.

A method for aligning a prosthetic joint between two bones of a patient, the method comprising:

• locating a force transducer between the two bones, the force transducer comprising a plurality of spaced-apart force sensors which are responsive to forces applied to the transducer, each force sensor providing an output signal representative of the forces applied;
• articulating the joint to obtain force measurement data;
• collecting the force measurement data;
• and
• performing curative steps based on the force measurement data to properly align the joint.