title: Influence of static alignment of the knee, range of tibial rotation and tibial plateau geometry on the dynamic alignment of "knee-in" and tibial rotation during single limb drop landing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dynamic alignment of "knee-in & toe-out" is a risk factor for anterior cruciate ligament injury and is possibly influenced by static knee alignment, range of tibial rotation and tibial plateau geometry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-eight healthy women were classified into valgus, neutral and varus groups based on static alignment of their knees. A 3-dimensional motion analysis was carried out for a single limb drop landing. The range of tibial rotation and posterior tibial slope angle was measured by MRI. Comparison among the 3 groups and correlation between the angles was analyzed during motion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The differences between the medial and lateral posterior tibial slope angles were greater (P=0.019), also range of internal tibial rotation for the valgus group (P=0.017) and, for the varus group, the "knee-in" angle (P=0.048). The "knee-in" angle correlated significantly with the tibial rotation angle (R=-0.39, P=0.038), and the range of tibial rotation correlated with the variations between the medial and lateral posterior tibial slope angles (R=0.90, P=0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The range of tibial rotation, posterior tibial slope and "knee-in" angle varied according to whether the knee was in valgus or varus with the range of tibial rotation dependent on the posterior tibial slope angle. The greater the "knee-in" angle became, the smaller the internal tibial rotation was, acting in a kinetic chain. The results suggest that static alignment of the knee may be utilized as a predictor for potential problems that occur during motion.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rehabilitation Science, Department of Health Sciences, Graduate School for Health Studies, University of Kanazawa, Kanazawa, Japan. arataka@stu.kanazawa-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.forename: Hiroichi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Miaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012399:Rotation; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology; D013977:Tibia / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D016474:Weight-Bearing / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Dynamic knee alignment; Posterior tibial slope angle; Range of tibial rotation; Static knee alignment; Valgus; Varus; “Knee-in & toe-out”