Tribology in Biomechanics: From Mechanisms to Preventive Strategies

The study of lubrication, wear, and friction, collectively known as tribology, is fundamental to biomechanics and injury prevention. Tribology governs numerous human internal and external processes, from surface interactions and musculoskeletal motion to joint health and device performance. For example, tribological mechanisms within joints directly influence tissue health and implant longevity, which is particularly important in degenerative conditions like osteoarthritis, a disease currently affecting over 500 million people worldwide. Similarly, tribological analysis of footwear-surface dynamics during locomotion can help reduce the incidence of slip-and-fall accidents, which account for over one million cases globally each year.

Beyond joints, tribology is pivotal in skin health, prosthetic interface design, and pressure ulcer prevention, critical concerns for the roughly 2.5 million individuals who suffer from pressure injuries annually. In the dental context, tribology addresses challenges such as enamel degradation and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction.

Aims and Scope

This Research Topic seeks to highlight the central role of tribology in biomechanical systems and healthcare innovation, inviting novel and state-of-the-art submissions from researchers globally. By investigating how friction, wear, and lubrication affect joint function, locomotion, oral biomechanics, and skin-device interactions, this topic provides a unified platform bridging several closely related domains.

Emphasis is placed on:

Elucidating the mechanisms underlying injury development and prevention.

Translating tribological insights into practical solutions, such as improved joint implants, safer footwear, or more effective prosthetic and dental designs.

Bridging experimental and computational methodologies with clinical and industrial applications.

Connecting tribological mechanisms with functional and health-related outcomes.

Contributions that advance diagnostics, predictive modeling, and material innovation are highly encouraged. We seek multidisciplinary perspectives that unite biomechanics, materials science, clinical medicine, and engineering, pushing the frontiers of biomechanical tribology.

Topics of Interest
We welcome original research articles, reviews, and short communications on biomechanical tribology. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

Joint lubrication mechanics and tissue tribology

Bio-fluid modeling of synovial or oral environments

Tribology of dental, oral, and temporomandibular systems

Tribological analysis in skin health, prosthetic interface design, and ulcer prevention

Computational and experimental methods for tribological assessment
Material development for tribological performance in biological systems

Injury prediction models and tribology-informed preventive strategies
Diagnostics and monitoring techniques based on tribological principles

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review

Keywords: Friction, Wear, Biomechanics, Dental, Orthopedics, Surface Science, Fluid Mechanics, Computational Biomechanics, Robotics, Lubrication

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.