Purpose The aim of the present study was to translate, cross‐culturally adapt, and assess the psychometric properties of the Pedi‐IKDC and Pedi‐FABS scores in the Italian paediatric population with various knee pathologies. Methods In accordance with the Paediatric Anterior Cruciate Ligament Monitoring Initiative (PAMI) research protocol, the original English versions of the questionnaires were translated into Italian. All patients aged 8–16 and scheduled for knee surgery were considered eligible in the study. An open‐source platform was implemented to collect responses to the surveys which included general patient information, the questionnaires Pedi‐IKDC, and Pedi‐FABS. Two surveys were sent under stable clinical conditions before surgery (Q1 and Q2); a third survey was sent 3–4 months after surgery (Q3). The following properties were calculated: reliability, internal consistency, criterion validity, responsiveness, and floor/ceiling effects. Results Eighty‐nine patients completed Q1, 81 patients completed Q2, and 49 patients completed Q3. Both questionnaires demonstrated acceptable properties. Pedi‐IKDC: standard error of measurement (SEM) = 4.4, smallest detectable change (SDC) = 12.3, interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.96, Cronbach alpha (α) = 0.92, moderate‐to‐low correlation to Pedi‐FABS, effect size (ES) = 0.79, standardized response mean (SRM) = 0.86, floor = 0%, ceiling = 22%. Pedi‐FABS: SEM = 2.1, SDC = 5.8, ICC = 0.94, Cronback alpha (α) = 0.93, moderate‐to‐low correlation to Pedi‐IKDK, ES = 0.60, SRM = 0.51, floor = 19%, ceiling = 0%. Conclusions The Italian version of Pedi‐IKDC and Pedi‐FABS is valuable tools for patient assessment, by demonstrating good psychometric properties. In clinical setting, these questionnaires can be used to properly evaluate outcomes in Italian pediatric patients with knee pathologies. Level of evidence II.

Background: Few studies on outcomes after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACLR) have provided insight into the very long-term effects of this procedure. Purpose: To systematically review the outcomes, failure rate, incidence, and predictors of osteoarthritis (OA) for different ACLR techniques at a minimum 20-year follow-up. Study Design: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: A search of the PubMed, SCOPUS, and Cochrane databases was performed on June 2020 for studies of patients who underwent ACLR and had a minimum follow-up of 20 years. We extracted data on patient and surgical characteristics, patient-reported outcomes (Lysholm score, subjective International Knee Documentation Committee [IKDC] score, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score [KOOS], and Tegner score), clinical outcomes (IKDC grade, pivot shift, Lachman, and KT-1000 laxity), degree of OA (Kellgren-Lawrence, Ahlbäck, and IKDC OA grading), revisions, and failures. Relative risk (RR) of OA between the operated and contralateral knees was calculated as well as the pooled rate of revisions, failures, and conversion to total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Results: Included were 16 studies (N = 1771 patients; mean age, 24.8 years; mean follow-up, 22.7 years); 80% of the patients underwent single-bundle bone–patellar tendon–bone (BPTB) reconstruction. The average Lysholm (89.3), IKDC (78.6), and KOOS subscale scores were considered satisfactory. Overall, 33% of patients had “abnormal” or “severely abnormal” objective IKDC grade, 6.7% had KT-1000 laxity difference of ≥5 mm, 9.4% had Lachman ≥2+, and 6.4% had pivot shift ≥2+. Signs of OA were reported in 73.3% of patients, whereas severe OA was reported in 12.8%. The operated knee had a relative OA risk of 2.8 ( P < .001) versus the contralateral knee. Identified risk factors for long-term OA were male sex, older age at surgery, delayed ACLR, meniscal or cartilage injuries, BPTB autograft, lateral plasty, nonideal tunnel placement, residual laxity, higher postoperative activity, and postoperative range of motion deficits. Overall, 7.9% of patients underwent revision, and 13.4% of ACLRs were considered failures. TKA was performed in 1.1% of patients. Conclusion: Most patients had satisfactory subjective outcomes 20 years after ACLR; however, abnormal anteroposterior or rotatory laxity was found in nearly 10% of cases. The presence of radiographic OA was high (RR 2.8 vs uninjured knee), especially in patients with concomitant meniscal or cartilage injuries, older age, and delayed surgery; however, severe OA was present in only 12.8% of cases, and TKA was required in only 1.1%.

Purpose To evaluate if there was a correlation between in vivo kinematics of a medial-stabilized (MS) total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and post-operative clinical scores. We hypothesized that (1) a MS-TKA would produce a medial pivot movement and that (2) this speciic pattern would be correlated with higher clinical scores. Methods 18 patients were evaluated through clinical and functional scores evaluation (Knee Society Score clinical and functional, Womac, Oxford), and kinematically through dynamic radiostereometric analysis (RSA) at 9 months after MS-TKA, during the execution of a sit-to-stand and a lunge motor task. The anteroposterior (AP) Low Point translation of medial and lateral femoral compartments was compared through Student's t test (p < 0.05). A correlation analysis between scores and kinematics was performed through the Pearson's correlation coeicient r. Results A signiicantly greater (p < 0.0001) anterior translation of the lateral compartment with respect to the medial one was found in both sit-to-stand (medial 2.9 mm ± 0.7 mm, lateral 7.1 mm ± 0.6 mm) and lunge (medial 5.3 mm ± 0.9 mm, lateral 10.9 mm ± 0.7 mm) motor tasks, thus resulting in a medial pivot pattern in about 70% of patients. Signiicant positive correlation in sit-to-stand was found between the peak of AP translation in the lateral compartment and clinical scores (r = 0.59 for Knee Society Score clinical and r = 0.61 for Oxford). Moreover, we found that the higher peak of AP translation of the medial compartment correlated with lower clinical scores (r = − 0.55 for Knee Society Score clinical, r = − 0.61 for Womac and r = − 0.53 for Oxford) in the lunge. A negative correlation was found between Knee Society Score clinical and VV laxity during sit-to-stand (r = − 0.56) and peak of external rotation in the lunge motor task (r = − 0.66). Conclusions The MS-TKA investigated produced in vivo a medial pivot movement in about 70% of patients in both examined motor tasks. There was a correlation between the presence of medial pivot and higher post-operative scores. Level of evidence IV.

Purpose Italy is one of the more severely affected countries in the world by the recent COVID-19 outbreak. The aim of this report is to describe how COVID-19 affected the life and organization of one of the main orthopaedic hospitals of the country, and which measures were implemented to face the outbreak. Methods A personal interview has been conducted with four doctors involved in the management of COVID-19 outbreak in one of the main orthopaedic hospitals of Italy. Results Hospital was reorganized , elective surgeries were cancelled, and only trauma surgeries were allowed, together with oncologic and urgent cases. Since the number of cases among patients and healthcare workers increased, the hospital management responded not only with a massive testing campaign aimed at detecting contact histories but also with an additional testing campaign for asymptomatic healthcare workers. Conclusion The main lection is that any actions should be quick and decisive, for 1 week during the COVID-19 epidemic could make the difference.

Motor coordination and lower limb biomechanics are crucial aspects of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury prevention strategies in football. These two aspects have never been assessed together in real scenarios in the young population. The present study aimed to investigate the influence of motor coordination on lower limb biomechanics in young footballers during an on-the-pitch training. Eighteen juvenile football players (10 y ± 2 m) were enrolled. Each player performed a training drill with sport-specific movements (vertical jump, agility ladders, change of direction) and the Harre circuit test (HCT) to evaluate players’ motor coordination. Wearable inertial sensors (MTw Awinda, Xsens) were used to assess lower limb joint angles and accelerations. Based on the results of the HCT, players were divided into poorly coordinated (PC) and well-coordinated (WC) on the basis of the literature benchmark. The PC group showed a stiffer hip biomechanics strategy (up to 40% lower flexion angle, ES = 2.0) and higher internal-external hip rotation and knee valgus (p < 0.05). Significant biomechanical limb asymmetries were found only in the PC group for the knee joint (31–39% difference between dominant and non-dominant limb, ES 1.6–2.3). Poor motor coordination elicited altered hip and knee biomechanics during sport-specific dynamic movements. The monitoring of motor coordination and on-field biomechanics might enhance the targeted trainings for ACL injury prevention.

PurposeThe aim of the present study was to compare the in vivo under weight‐bearing kinematic behavior of a posterior‐stabilized (PS) and an ultra‐congruent (UC) total knee arthroplasty (TKA) model during a sit‐to‐stand motor task, a common activity of daily life. MethodsA cohort of 16 randomly selected patients (8 PS Persona Zimmer, 8 UC Persona Zimmer) was evaluated through dynamic radiostereometric analysis (RSA) at a minimum of 9 months after TKA, during the execution of a sit‐to‐stand. The anteroposterior (AP) translation of the femoral component and the AP translation of the low point of medial and lateral femoral compartments were compared through Student’s t test (p < 0.05). ResultsA significantly greater anterior translation of the femoral component was found for the PS group compared to the UC group. The flexion interval where statistical significance was found was between 30° and 0° (p = 0.017). Both groups showed a significantly greater anterior translation of the low point of the lateral compartment with respect to the medial one (PS: p = 0.012, UC: p = 0.018). This was consistent with a medial‐pivot pattern. Furthermore, a significantly greater anterior translation of the medial compartment was found in the PS group compared to the UC group (p = 0.001). The same pattern was observed for the lateral compartment (p = 0.006). ConclusionsThe TKA designs evaluated in the present study showed comparable in‐vivo kinematics with regards to medial pivot pattern but differences in absolute AP translation. Specifically, the UC design showed greater AP stability than the PS design. This finding could be positive in terms of implant stability, but negative in terms of premature polyethylene wear and thus implant failure. This remains to be verified in studies with a larger sample size and longer follow‐up. Level of evidenceIV.

Purpose To assess the role of Tibial Plateau Slope (TPS) as risk factor for early Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) reconstruction failure and contralateral ACL injury in a population of patients with less than 18 years of age and operated on with the same surgical technique. Methods Ninety-four consecutive patients (mean age 15.7 ± 1.5 years) with at least 2 years of follow-up, who underwent ACL reconstruction with a single-bundle plus lateral-plasty hamstring technique in the same centre were included. Subsequent ACL injuries (ipsilateral ACL revision or contralateral ACL reconstruction) were assessed within the irst 2 years after surgery. Anterior, central, posterior TPS of medial compartment were measured on lateral radiographs and compared between patients with intact graft and those with a second injury. Cut-of values with sensitivity and speciicity were calculated with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Survival analysis for second ACL injuries and multivariate analysis were performed. Results Eight patients (9%) had ipsilateral ACL Revision and eight patients (9%) had contralateral ACL reconstruction. Patients with contralateral injury had a higher Central TPS with respect to those without second injury (12.6° ± 2.8° vs 9.3° ± 3.7°, p = 0.042). No diferences were present in patients with ipsilateral ACL revision. Sensitivity and speciicity for central TPS slope ≥ 12° to detect a contralateral rupture were 63% and 75% (p = 0.0092), for Anterior TPS were 100% and 52% (p = 0.0009). Patients with TPS values exceeding these cut-ofs had higher rate of contralateral ACL injuries (19%vs4%, p = 0.0420) and lower 2-year survival (p = 0.0049). Multivariate analysis identiied pre-operative sport level and TPS (either anterior or central) as risk factors for contralateral injuries. Conclusions Steep tibial plateau slope ≥ 12° is associated with a higher risk of contralateral ACL injury within 2 years after ACL reconstruction in patients less than 18 years of age. However, TPS has no role in early ipsilateral re-injury after combined ACL reconstruction and lateral plasty. The clinical relevance is that both the surgeon and the patient should be aware of this higher risk and consider it in the rehabilitation phase to reduce the incidence of such injuries. Level of evidence III.

The popliteal hiatus is a complex region, formed by the confluence of various structures connecting the meniscus, popliteal tendon, tibia and fibula. The main structures that can be found are the three popliteomeniscal fascicles (anterior, postero-inferior and postero-superior), the lateral and posterior meniscotibial ligaments, the popliteofibular ligament and the meniscofibular fascicle. These structures can be identified in most cases using magnetic resonance imaging, and their ‘static’ assessment can be performed. Arthroscopic assessment is useful in identifying and testing ‘dynamically’ the integrity of the structures around the popliteal hiatus. Injuries or abnormalities of the popliteal hiatus and its structures could result in meniscal hypermobility and subluxation; however, these injuries are often unrecognized. Possible abnormalities in this region, apart from the well-known bucket-handle meniscal tear, are the Wrisberg Type III discoid meniscus, and meniscal fascicles tears. Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2021;6:61-74. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.6.200089