Oblique popliteal ligament – an anatomical study

Abstract

Objective To study the anatomy of the oblique popliteal ligament, as regards its dimensions, expansion and anatomical relationships. Methods Eleven cadaver knees were dissected in order to study the anatomy and take measurements of anatomical structures and relationships of the oblique popliteal ligament. The dissection was for posterior access to the proper exposure of the oblique popliteal ligament, the semimembranosus muscle and its expansions. For measurement of dimensions, 40 × 12 needles were used for marking the specific points and a caliper. The angles were calculated using the software ImagePro Plus ® . Results The distance from the origin of the oblique popliteal ligament to the tibial plateau was 7.4 mm, the thickness at its origin was 7.3 mm, length was 33.6 mm and the tibial plateau angle 34.8°. The length of the expansion of the proximal oblique popliteal ligament was 39.2 mm, thickness 7.8 mm and angle of the oblique popliteal ligament with its expansion 32.2°. Conclusion The oblique popliteal ligament is thick, rises in the semimembranosus and protrudes proximally forming an acute angle with the joint interline, crossing the popliteal fossa. In some cases it has a proximal expansion.

Anatomical Characteristics and Biomechanical Properties of the Oblique Popliteal Ligament

“…However, with the rapid development of sports medicine, the key stabilizing elements of the knee have recently been rediscovered 1 2 4 14 15 16 17 . Customarily, these studies have dissected and described the anatomy of fresh-frozen human cadaveric knees and conducted quantitative biomechanical experiments 1 2 3 4 18 19 20 21 . Although these explorations 1 2 3 5 have described the shape and parameters of the OPL and have provided quantitative biomechanics, which have contributed to a better understanding of the role of the OPL in preventing knee hyperextension 2 , the diversity of the morphology of the OPL has rarely been reported to date, and its function of preventing excessive external rotation of the knee was neglected in studies.…”

“… 4 , but longer than the 33.6 ± 4.8 mm reported by Fam et al . 3 . The mean angle between the OPL and the horizontal joint line in our study was 29.78 ± 2.62°, which was smaller than the 32.2 ± 6.6° reported by Fam et al .…”

“…The mean angle between the OPL and the horizontal joint line in our study was 29.78 ± 2.62°, which was smaller than the 32.2 ± 6.6° reported by Fam et al . 3 . These differences may be primarily attributed to different methods of measurement; another potential explanation is ethnic differences, although this possibility is uncertain, owing to limited data.…”

“…Several investigators have attempted to explore the characteristics of the OPL 1 2 3 4 5 . However, descriptions of the morphology and role of the OPL in the knee joint remain inconsistent in the literature.…”

“…However, descriptions of the morphology and role of the OPL in the knee joint remain inconsistent in the literature. Some textbooks and articles 3 4 5 report that the OPL originates with the tendon of the semimembranosus muscle, whereas other sources have described that the OPL is formed by a confluence of the lateral expansion of the semimembranosus tendon and the capsular arm of the posterior oblique ligament 1 6 7 . The course of the OPL is fairly similar, and its terminal attachments are relatively uniform, but the description of its arms or attachments is variable.…”