title: Sagittal plane articulation of the contralateral knee of subjects with posterior cruciate ligament deficiency: an observational study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the present study was to compare the in vivo articulation of the healthy knee to the contralateral knee of subjects with acute and chronic PCL injuries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Magnetic resonance was used to generate sagittal images of 10 healthy knees and 10 knees with isolated PCL injuries (5 acute and 5 chronic). The subjects performed a supine leg press against a 150 N load. Images were generated at 15 degree intervals as the knee flexed from 0 to 90 degrees. The tibiofemoral contact (TFC), and the centre of the femoral condyle (as defined by the flexion facet centre (FFC)), were measured from the posterior tibial cortex.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference in the TFC and FFC between the healthy knee and contralateral knee of subjects with acute and chronic PCL injuries in the medial and lateral compartments of the knee.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this study suggest there is no predisposing articulation abnormality to PCL injury, in the setting of chronic injury the contralateral knee does not modify its articulation profile and the contralateral knee can be used as a valid control when evaluating the articulation of the PCL deficient knee.
authors.affiliation: Trauma and Orthopaedic Research Unit, The Canberra Hospital, PO Box 11,, Woden ACT 2606, Australia. dr_sivashankar@yahoo.com.au
authors.forename: Sivashankar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chandrasekaran
authors.forename: Jennifer M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Scarvell
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buirski
authors.forename: Kevin R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.forename: Paul N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016119:Posterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000293:injuries / Q000502:physiology*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D016474:Weight-Bearing; D055815:Young Adult