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Mechanical functions of the three bundles consisting of the human anterior cruciate ligament

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

Abstract

Purpose

The reconstruction technique to individually reconstruct multi-bundles of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) has been improved in the last decade. For further improvement of the technique, the present study was conducted to determine the force sharing among the three bundles (the medial and lateral bundles (AMM and AML) of the anteromedial (AM) bundle and the posterlateral (PL) bundle) of the human ACL in response to hyperextension, passive flexion–extension and anterior force to the knee.

Methods

Using a 6-DOF robotic system, the human cadaveric knee specimens were subjected to hyperextension, passive flexion–extension and anterior–posterior tests, while recording the 6-DOF motion and force/moment of the knees. The intact knee motions recorded during the tests were reproduced after sequential bundle transection to determine the bundle forces.

Results

The bundle forces were around 10 N at 5 N-m of hyperextension and remained less than 5 N during passive flexion–extension. In response to 100 N of anterior force, the AMM and PL bundle forces were slightly higher than the AML bundle force at full extension. The AMM bundle force remained at a high level up to 90° of flexion, with significant differences versus the AML bundle force at 15°, 30° and 60° of flexion and the PL bundle force at 90° of flexion.

Conclusion

The AMM bundle is the primary stabilizer to tibial anterior drawer through wide range of motion, while the AML bundle is the secondary stabilizer in deep flexion angles. The PL bundle is the crucial stabilizer to hyperextension as well as tibial anterior drawer at full extension.

Level of evidence

Prognostic study, Level II.

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Acknowledgment

The present study was financially supported in part by the Project-In-Aid for the establishment of Strategic Research Centers (BERC, Kogakuin University) and Grant-In-Aid for Scientific Research (#20591766) both from the MEXT, Japan, and by Smith&Nephew Endoscopy, Japan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biomechanics Laboratory, Faculty of System Design, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan

    H. Fujie

  2. Biomedical Engineering Research Center, Research Institute for Science and Technology, Kogakuin University, Tokyo, Japan

    H. Fujie & S. Fukano

  3. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, Japan

    H. Otsubo & T. Suzuki

  4. Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, Japan

    D. Suzuki

  5. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan

    T. Mae

  6. Faculty of Comprehensive Rehabilitation, Osaka Prefecture University, Osaka, Japan

    K. Shino

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  1. H. Fujie
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  2. H. Otsubo
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  3. S. Fukano
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  4. T. Suzuki
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  6. T. Mae
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Correspondence to H. Fujie.

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Fujie, H., Otsubo, H., Fukano, S. et al. Mechanical functions of the three bundles consisting of the human anterior cruciate ligament. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 19 (Suppl 1), 47–53 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-011-1513-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-011-1513-1

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