Changes in human knee ligament stiffness secondary to osteoarthritis

Abstract

Stiffness of the medial (MCL) and lateral (LCL) collateral ligaments was compared between a group of 10 patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty for varus degenerative osteoarthritis (OAP), a group of 10 osteoarthritic cadaveric knees (OAC), and a group of 10 non-osteoarthritic cadaveric knees (NOA). A load4ongation curve was obtained for the medial and lateral compartments of each knee using an instrumented Moreland spreader. A strain gage (SG) was attached to the spreader handle and strain was calibrated to load applied against the spread distance. In extension, medial compartment stiffness of the OAP, OAC, and NOA groups

Lateral Soft Tissue Laxity Increases but Medial Laxity Does Not Contract With Varus Deformity in Total Knee Arthroplasty

“…Additionally, in our study, the deep medial collateral ligament and posteromedial capsule were carefully liberated from the underlying osteophytes on the medial tibia. By contrast, Fishkin et al [7] did not describe this. We believe osteoarthritic changes might increase stiffness of the capsular ligament along with osteophyte formation; however, contracture of the superficial medial collateral ligament does not exist after releasing the capsular ligaments with complete removal of the osteophytes.…”

“…As a result, the medial soft tissue is released from pressure of the osteophytes and bone and returns to its original length. Fishkin et al [7] reported greater stiffness of the ligaments on the lateral and medial sides in osteoarthritic knees with a mean 9°varus deformity than in nonosteoarthritic knees. However, they did not present the relationship between mild and severe varus deformities.…”

Pre-operative frontal plane malalignment predicts the extension gap asymmetry in knee osteoarthritis

“…This result is surprising, since the malalignment of the leg axis is dependent on intra-and extra-articular osseous deformities and ligamentous insufficiencies or contractures. The nevertheless good correlation suggests that osseous malalignments, hypoplasias and defects interact with the capsulo-ligamentous stabilizers during the genesis of arthrosis [17].…”

A dynamic multibody model of the physiological knee to predict internal loads during movement in gravitational field

“…For clinical application, instead, it would be advisable to obtain information about TF contact forces, ligament deformations and loads for a number of daily life motor tasks (walking, jumping, stair climbing, getting up from a chair and sitting) in a simple though accurate way, and to have the possibility to simulate changes of some geometrical and mechanical parameters. These data would be useful to better clarify the aetiopathogenesis of knee joint diseases (Lane and Thompson 1997), the function of ligaments (Fishkin et al 2002) and the effects generated by the surgical reconstruction of ligaments or by knee joint arthroplasty procedures (Thompson et al 2011). Moreover, they could influence prosthetic design (Insall and Kelly 1986) and help to define proper implantation parameters.…”