Weight-bearing knee kinematics in subjects with two types of anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions

Abstract

Weight-bearing knee kinematics in patients who received two types of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction were studied using a fluoroscopy-based three-dimensional measurement technique. Eleven patients with more than 1-year follow-up and good or excellent results participated in this study. Six subjects received anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using a multiply folded semitendinosus and gracilis tendon graft, and five received combined intra- and extra-articular anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using the iliotibial tract. The step up/down activity of normal and operated knees was recorded using lateral fluoroscopy. A customized three-dimensional contour model was created from two orthogonal views of each knee and all six degrees of freedom of knee movement were determined using a model matching technique. Both the normal and the reconstructed knees exhibited posterior condylar translation and internal tibial rotation with knee flexion, consistent with previous reports of normal kinematics. There were no statistically significant differences in the axial rotations or lateral or medial condylar anterior/posterior translations between operated and normal knees or between the two groups of operated knees.

Landing Mechanics between Noninjured Women and Women with Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction during 2 Jump Tasks

“…These findings contradict reports from some investigators in which differences between the reconstructed and noninjured legs have been reported for integrated EMG 11,28 and tibial internal/external rotation. 33 However, other investigators have reported results similar to this investigation for integrated EMG, 43 anteriorposterior femoral translation, 22 and tibial internal/external rotation. 22 This controversy makes it unclear if neuromuscular deficits carry over to the noninjured leg in patients with ACL reconstruction or if full recovery of the injured leg can be expected.…”

“…33 However, other investigators have reported results similar to this investigation for integrated EMG, 43 anteriorposterior femoral translation, 22 and tibial internal/external rotation. 22 This controversy makes it unclear if neuromuscular deficits carry over to the noninjured leg in patients with ACL reconstruction or if full recovery of the injured leg can be expected. On the basis of the results of this investigation, this controversy needs to be analyzed with caution given the range of years after ACL reconstruction of the women who participated in this investigation.…”

“…44 The lack of statistically significant differences between groups in the up-down hop task contradicted the study hypotheses. Kanisawa et al 22 reported similar results for kinematics and kinetics comparing 12 noninjured subjects and 12 individuals with ACL reconstruction during a 25-cm walking step-up and step-down task. The investigators concluded that ACL reconstruction seemed to restore weightbearing function during step-up and step-down tasks that resembled the stepping strategies of non-injured individuals.…”

Motion Alterations After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Comparison of the Injured and Uninjured Lower Limbs During a Single-Legged Jump

“…These results are supported by researchers who have shown no differences among graft types used in ACL ligamentoplasty, especially for functional and kinematic outcomes. 1,[35][36][37] Nevertheless, our results cannot be generalized due to the small sample sizes of the 2 subgroups.…”

A method for measuring three-dimensional mandibular kinematics in vivo using single-plane fluoroscopy

“…The precisions of the WEMS method are also shown as error bars on the corresponding component curves 3D mandibular kinematics using fluoroscopy have reported SDs of errors as large as 5.6 mm in the out-of-plane translation. 28,29 With the WEMS method for the knee joint, Tsai et al 19 reported precisions of less than 0.77 mm for in-plane translations, less than 1.13 u for all rotations and 3.06 mm for the out-of-plane translation.…”