The differential effects of gender, anthropometry, and prior hormonal state on frontal plane knee joint stiffness

Abstract

Background-Gender differences in passive frontal plane knee stiffness may contribute to the increased anterior cruciate ligament injury rate in females. Gender-based stiffness differences have been attributed to anthropometric variations, but little data exist describing this relationship. Furthermore, sex hormone levels appear to influence joint stiffness, but the differential effects of instantaneous and prior hormonal concentrations remain unknown. This study sought to explore the effect of gender, prior hormonal status, and anthropometry on passive frontal plane knee joint stiffness.

Medial Tibiofemoral-Joint Stiffness in Males and Females Across the Lifespan

“…Also, knee diameter was positively correlated with knee stiffness. 12 Although we did not find differences in male and female medial tibiofemoral-joint stiffness after normalizing mass and height, we concur that knee size relates to mass and height in both sexes, especially in postpubertal development. The difference in results between these studies may be due to the differences in methods used to quantify joint stiffness.…”

“…Theories have been generated and extensive research has been conducted to explain the two-to eightfold increase in ACL injuries in female athletes over male athletes. [1][2][3][4] Although a single cause has not been identified, risk factors have been generalized into 4 categories 5 : environmental (external factors such as surface and footwear), 5 anatomic and postural, [1][2][3][4] hormonal, [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] and biomechanical [14][15][16] (such as kinematics 16,17 and neuromuscular factors 15,18,19 ). The injury rate to the collateral ligaments of the knee is also greater in females than males but not to the same extent as for ACL injury.…”

Influence of Menstrual Cycle on Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries in the Knee: A Systematic Review of the Literature

“…Razlike lahko v grobem razvrstimo na anatomske, hormonalne in na nevromišične (2). Neposredni dejavniki za povečano tveganje za poškodbe kolena pri ženskah so: razlike anatomskih in biomehanskih razmerij na spodnjih udih (oblika sklepnih površin kolena, širša medenica in valgusni morfotip spodnjih udov, širina interkondilarne špranje, debelina in čvrstost vezi) (2,(15)(16)(17), razlike v tehniki doskoka in pri izvajanju hitrih menjav smeri gibanja (2,17), v vzorcu aktivacije mišičnih stabilizatorjev kolenskega sklepa (2) in veliko drugih.Eden izmed dejavnikov za različno pojavnost poškodb je tudi vpliv ženskih spolnih hormonov in njihovega cikličnega nihanja med menstrualnim cikla na strukture v kolenu ter splošno psihofizično sposobnost (2,11,12). Namen prispevka je pregledati literaturo o vplivu menstrualnega cikla na poškodbe križnih vezi kolenskega sklepa.…”

“…Te so posledica kronične izpostavljenosti estrogenu in njegovemu metabolnemu učinku na vezivno tkivne strukture ter nižjim koncentracijam testosterona (11,13,16,35). Ohlapnost vezi vodi do oslabljene zaznave položaja sklepov, zapoznjene aktivacije mišičnih stabilizatorjev kolenskega sklepa in do slabše stabilnosti sklepa, kar prispeva k večji dovzetnosti za poškodbo (11,20).…”

Medial Tibiofemoral-Joint Stiffness in Males and Females Across the Lifespan

“…In 1 study, 12 males displayed greater passive frontal-plane stiffness than females, even after normalizing mass and height. Also, knee diameter was positively correlated with knee stiffness.…”