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Static and dynamic tibial translation before, 5 weeks after, and 5 years after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

  • Knee
  • Published:
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate static and dynamic tibial translation before, 5 weeks after, and 5 years after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. To explore whether static and dynamic tibial translation are correlated.

Methods

Ten patients undergoing quadruple hamstring tendon graft ACL reconstruction were evaluated before, 5 weeks after, and 5 years after ACL reconstruction. Sagittal tibial translation was measured during the Lachman test (static translation) and during gait (dynamic translation) using a CA-4000 electrogoniometer.

Results

Five years after ACL reconstruction, static tibial translation did not differ between knees (Lachman test 90 N and 134 N n.s.). In contrast, there was greater maximal anterior tibial translation during gait in ACL-reconstructed knees than in uninjured knees (5.5 ± 1.4 vs. 4.5 ± 1.6 mm, P = 0.028). There were no differences in static or dynamic tibial translation between the 5-year follow-up and before ACL reconstruction or between the 5-year follow-up and the 5-week follow-up. There were no correlations between static and dynamic tibial translation.

Conclusion

Although static tibial translation did not differ between knees 5 years after ACL reconstruction, dynamic tibial translation during gait was greater in ACL-reconstructed knees than in uninjured knees. Neither static nor dynamic tibial translation changed 5 years after ACL reconstruction as compared to before surgery and 5 weeks after surgery. Static tibial translation did not correlate with dynamic tibial translation.

Clinical relevance

This study indicates that although the knee is stable during static measurements, kinematics during gait is impaired 5 years after ACL reconstruction. This may affect the return to sport and risk of osteoarthritis.

Level of evidence

Case series, Level IV.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Orthopedic Department at the University Hospital, Linköping for cooperation. This study was supported by the Faculty of Health Sciences at Linköping University and by grants from the Swedish Center for Research in Sports.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Physiotherapy, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden

    Sofi Tagesson, Birgitta Öberg & Joanna Kvist

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  1. Sofi Tagesson
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  2. Birgitta Öberg
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  3. Joanna Kvist
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Correspondence to Sofi Tagesson.

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Tagesson, S., Öberg, B. & Kvist, J. Static and dynamic tibial translation before, 5 weeks after, and 5 years after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 23, 3691–3697 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-014-3279-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-014-3279-8

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