title: Lower limb alignment in anterior cruciate ligament-deficient versus -intact knees.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare anatomic lower limb features of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-deficient versus -intact knees in Chinese subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anatomic lower limb features (mechanical axis, tibiofemoral angle, posterior tibial slope, notch width index, and hip neck-shaft angle) of 25 men and 3 women aged 18 to 39 (mean, 26) years with ACL-deficient knees, and 16 men and 4 women aged 24 to 31 (mean, 28) years with ACL-intact knees were compared using radiography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The notch width index (0.26 vs. 0.29, p=0.02) was significantly smaller in ACL-deficient than ACL-intact knees.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Small notch width was associated with a thin ACL and can be regarded as an anatomic intrinsic risk factor for ACL injuries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Caritas Medical Centre, Hong Kong. chungstephen@gmail.com
authors.forename: Stephen Chor-yat
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Wai-lam
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Sze-hung
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000473:pathology; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D012307:Risk Factors; D012421:Rupture; D055815:Young Adult