The Relationship between Grading and Instrumented Measurements of Anterior Knee Joint Laxity
Context:The relationship between clinical judgments of anterior knee laxity and instrumented measurement of anterior tibial translation is unclear.Objective:To examine the relationship between certified athletic trainers’ grading of anterior knee laxity and instrumented measurements of anterior tibial translation.Design:Randomized, blinded, clinical assessment.Setting:Laboratory.Participants:Model patients receiving evaluation of anterior knee laxity.Intervention:Twelve model patients were evaluated using a MEDmetric® KT1000™ knee ligament Arthrometer® to establish instrumented measurements of anterior translation values at the tibio-femoral joint. Twenty-two certified athletic trainers were provided with operational definitions of potential laxity grades and examined the model patients to make judgments of anterior knee laxity.Main Outcome Measures:Correlation between clinical judgments and instrumented measurements of anterior tibial translation.Results:Clinical judgments and instrumented measurements were mutually independent.Conclusions:Anterior tibial translation grading by certified athletic trainers should be interpreted with caution during clinical decision-making.