The relationship between clinical measurements of lower extremity posture and tibial translation.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this investigation was to determine if postures of the lower extremity were related to the amount of anterior tibial translation.


METHODS
Regression model of lower extremity postural measures used to predict the amount of tibial translation for a sample of convenience.


BACKGROUND
Retrospective studies have indicated a link between certain lower extremity postures and prediction of anterior cruciate ligament injury status. What is not clear is whether these lower extremity postures cause, or occur as a result of anterior cruciate ligament injury.


METHODS
Genu recurvatum, the thigh-foot angle, and navicular drop measures were obtained from the right leg of 43 uninjured college-aged subjects. Tibial translation was determined using a KT-1000 arthrometer. Gender related differences were determined with independent t-tests. Step-wise regression was performed to assess the relationship between postural measures and subject gender, and tibial translation.


RESULTS
Very good to excellent inter- and intra-rater reliability was found for the postural measures. There was greater tibial translation (P=0.01) in females. The final regression model indicated a moderate relationship between sex of the subject, navicular drop and tibial translation (r=0.551). Genu recurvatum and thigh-foot angle were not significant predictors of tibial translation. CONCLUSIONS; We concluded that foot pronation has a greater impact on the amount of tibial translation than genu recurvatum and torsion of the lower leg in anterior cruciate intact subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Static clinical measures of lower extremity posture are commonly taken as predictors of outcome (both performance and injury). There may be little association between these static measures and dynamic performance.
Trimble
Mark H
MH
Department of Physical Therapy, University of Florida, P.O. Box 100154 HSC, Gainesville, FL 32610-0154, USA.
Bishop
Mark D
MD
Buckley
Bernadette D
BD
Fields
Laura C
LC
Rozea
Gerard D
GD
D000328:Adult; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000502:physiology*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D011187:Posture; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D013977:Tibia / Q000502:physiology*; D016474:Weight-Bearing