Kinematic motion of the anterior cruciate ligament deficient knee during functionally high and low demanding tasks.
The purpose of this study was to determine whether mechanical adaptations were present in patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-deficient knees during high-demand activities. Twenty-two subjects with unilateral ACL deficiency (11 males and 11 females, 19.6 months after injury) performed five different activities at a comfortable speed (level walking, ascending and descending steps, jogging, jogging to a 90-degree side cutting toward the opposite direction of the tested side). Three-dimensional knee kinematics for the ACL-deficient knees and uninjured contralateral knees were evaluated using the Point Cluster Technique. There was no significant difference in knee flexion angle, but an offset toward the knee in less valgus and more external tibial rotation was observed in the ACL-deficient knee. The tendency was more obvious in high demand motions, and a significant difference was clearly observed in the side cutting motions. These motion patterns, with the knee in less valgus and more external tibial rotation, are proposed to be an adaptive movement to avoid pivot shift dynamically, and reveal evidence in support of a dynamic adaptive motion occurring in ACL-deficient knees.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan. Electronic address: kentarotakeda@k3.dion.ne.jp.
Kentaro
K
Takeda
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
Takayuki
T
Hasegawa
Department of Clinical Biomechanics, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.
Yoshimori
Y
Kiriyama
Institute for Integrated Sports Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.
Hideo
H
Matsumoto
Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.
Toshiro
T
Otani
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
Yoshiaki
Y
Toyama
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan; Department of Clinical Biomechanics, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.
Takeo
T
Nagura
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007590:Jogging / Q000502:physiology; D007717:Knee / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012399:Rotation; D013977:Tibia / Q000502:physiology*; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
Adaptation; Anterior cruciate ligament; Knee kinematics; Motion analysis; Pivot shift