scholarly journals Identification of strength and spatiotemporal gait parameters associated with knee loading during gait in persons after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (preprint) ◽  
pp. 0000-0000
Author(s):  
Mark A. Lyle ◽  
Jake C. Jensen ◽  
Jennifer L. Hunnicutt ◽  
Jonathan J. Brown ◽  
Cynthia P. Chambliss ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Context: Altered knee moments are common during gait in patients following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Modifiable factors that influence knee moments and are feasible to record in clinical settings such as strength and spatiotemporal parameters (e.g. step length, step width) have not been identified in persons after ACLR. Objective: The objective was to identify strength and spatiotemporal gait parameters that can predict knee moments in persons after ACLR. Design: Cross-Sectional Study Setting: Laboratory Patients: Twenty-three participants with ACLR (14.4 ± 17.2 months post-ACLR) participated. Main Outcome Measures: Peak knee flexion and adduction moments were measured while walking at self-selected speeds. Spatiotemporal gait parameters were recorded with a pressure walkway, and peak isokinetic knee extensor strength (60°/s) was recorded on a dynamometer. Pearson coefficients were used to examine the association of peak knee moments with strength and gait parameters. Variables correlated with peak knee flexion and adduction moments were entered into a stepwise regression model. Results: Step width and knee extensor strength were the strongest predictors of knee flexion moment accounting for 44% of data variance, whereas stance phase time and step width were the strongest predictors of knee adduction moment explaining 62% of data variance. Conclusions: The spatiotemporal variables that were identified could be clinically feasible targets for biofeedback to improve gait after ACLR.

Author(s):  
Tishya L. Wren ◽  
Veronica Beltran ◽  
Mia J. Katzel ◽  
Adriana S. Conrad-Forrest ◽  
Curtis D. VandenBerg

Iliotibial band autograft is an increasingly popular option for pediatric anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). The purpose of this study was to compare recovery of knee extensor mechanism function among pediatric patients who underwent ACLR using iliotibial band (IT), hamstring tendon (HT), quadriceps tendon (QT), and patellar tendon (PT) autografts. One hundred forty-five pediatric athletes (76 female; age 15.0, range 7–21 years) with recent (3–18 months) unilateral ACLR performed drop-jump landing and 45° cutting with 3D motion capture. Knee extensor mechanism function (maximum knee flexion angle, maximum internal knee extensor moment, energy absorption at knee) during the loading phase (foot contact to peak knee flexion) was compared among graft types (20 IT, 29 HT, 39 QT, 57 PT) and sides (ACLR or contralateral) using linear mixed models with sex, age, and time since surgery as covariates. Overall, knee flexion was significantly lower on the operated vs. contralateral side for HT, QT, and PT during both tasks (p < 0.03). All graft types exhibited lower knee extensor moments and energy absorption on the operated side during both movements (p ≤ 0.001). Kinetic asymmetry was significantly lower for IT compared with QT and PT during both movements (p ≤ 0.005), and similar patterns were observed for HT vs. QT and PT (p ≤ 0.07). Asymmetry was similar between IT and HT and between QT and PT. This study found that knee extensor mechanism function recovers fastest in pediatric ACLR patients with IT autografts, followed by HT, in comparison to QT and PT, suggesting that IT is a viable option for returning young athletes to play after ACLR.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (7_suppl3) ◽  
pp. 2325967121S0009
Author(s):  
Curtis D. VandenBerg ◽  
Mia J. Katzel ◽  
Veronica Beltran ◽  
Adriana S. Conrad-Forrest ◽  
Tishya A. L. Wren

Background: While multiple studies have shown clear benefits of autograft over allograft for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) in young athletes, disagreement remains regarding the optimal autograft choice. Recovery from ACLR may be influenced by autograft type, which can include iliotibial band (IT), hamstring tendon (HT), quadriceps tendon (QT), or patellar tendon (PT) depending on skeletal maturity and surgeon preference. Hypothesis/Purpose: This study compared knee joint function among pediatric athletes with different types of ACLR autografts. We hypothesized that knee extensor function would recover faster for graft types that did not disrupt the knee extensor mechanism (i.e., IT and HT vs. PT and QT). Methods: This retrospective study examined 138 pediatric athletes (73 female; mean age 15.5, SD 2.2, range 8-21 years) who had undergone sports biomechanical testing in our motion analysis laboratory following recent unilateral ACLR (mean 7.7, range 3-18 months post-surgery). All reconstructions used autografts including 20 IT, 26 HT, 37 QT, and 55 PT. Lower extremity sagittal plane kinematics and kinetics were measured during vertical drop jump landing (41 cm height) and 45° cutting. Maximum knee flexion angles, internal knee extensor moments, and energy absorption during the landing phase (initial contact to peak knee flexion) of each movement were compared among graft types and sides (ACLR vs. contralateral) using linear mixed models with sex, age, and time since surgery as covariates. Results: Knee flexion was significantly lower on the operated vs. contralateral side for HT, QT, and PT during drop jump and for QT and PT during cutting (p<0.001). All graft types exhibited lower knee extensor moments and energy absorption on the operated side (p<0.05). This asymmetry was most pronounced for QT and PT and least pronounced for IT (Figure 1.1). Loading on the operated limb decreased from IT to HT to QT and PT, while loading on the contralateral limb increased similarly. Asymmetry of kinetics was significantly lower for IT compared with both QT and PT during both movements (p<0.01). Similar patterns were observed for HT but were not always statistically significant. No differences in asymmetry were observed between IT and HT or between QT and PT. Conclusion: Young athletes with IT and HT autografts exhibit greater engagement of the knee extensors during dynamic loading than peers with PT or QT autografts in the 18 months following ACLR. This may be due to extensor mechanism donor site morbidity associated with PT and QT grafts. Tables/Figures: [Figure: see text]


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 232596711989524 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomohiro Shimizu ◽  
Alexander R. Markes ◽  
Michael A. Samaan ◽  
Matthew S. Tanaka ◽  
Richard B. Souza ◽  
...  

Background: Several reports have shown that altered biomechanics after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) are associated with the development of posttraumatic osteoarthritis. However, it is not fully understood whether altered biomechanics are associated with meniscal changes after ACLR. Purpose: To investigate changes in gait and landing biomechanics over a 3-year period and their correlation with meniscal matrix alterations present before and after ACLR through use of magnetic resonance T1ρ/T2 mapping, which can allow detection of early meniscal degeneration. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: A total of 36 patients with ACLR and 14 healthy controls were included in this study. All patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging and biomechanical analysis during gait of the injured knee and contralateral knee preoperatively and at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years after ACLR, as well as biomechanical analysis during drop-landing from 6 months to 3 years postoperatively. To evaluate biochemical changes of the mensical matrix, T1ρ/T2 relaxation times of the meniscus were calculated. Results: Mean T1ρ/T2 values of ACLR knees were significantly higher than values in the contralateral and control knees in the posterior lateral and medial horns up to 1 year after surgery; however, the differences were not seen at 3 years after surgery. The ACLR knee exhibited significantly lower peak knee flexion moment and angle during gait at 6 months compared with baseline and continued to decrease until 3 years. The ACLR knee exhibited significantly lower peak vertical ground-reaction force and peak knee flexion moment and angle during landing at 6 months. However, the differences were no longer present at 3 years. Biomechanics at 6 months had significant correlations with changes of mean T1ρ/T2 values in the medial posterior horn from 6 months to 3 years after ACLR. Conclusion: Although mean T1ρ/T2 values of meniscus seen before ACLR improved after 3 years, approximately 30% of patients with ACLR did not show decreases from 6 months to 3 years. Patients with abnormal lower limb kinetics of the ACLR knee at 6 months showed less recovery in the medial posterior horn from 6 months to 3 years, suggesting that biomechanical parameters during the early stage of recovery might be potential biomarkers for predicting persistent medial meniscal abnormality after ACLR.


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