In-situ forces in the human posterior cruciate ligament in response to posterior tibial loading

Abstract

Although some investigators have referred to the human posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) as the center of the knee, it has received less attention than the more frequently injured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL). Therefore, our understanding of the function of the PCL is limited. Our laboratory has developed a method of measuring thein-situ forces in a ligament without contacting that ligament by using a universal force-moment sensor (UFS). In this study, we attached a USF to the tibia and measuredin-situ forces of the human PCL as a function of knee flexion in response to tibial loading. At a 50-N posterior tibial load, the force in the PCL increased from 25±11 N (mean±SD) at 30° of knee flexion to 48±12 N at 90° of knee flexion. At 100 N, the corresponding increases were to 50±17 N and 95±17 N, respectively. Of note, at 30° knee flexion, approximately 45% of the resistance to posterior tibial loading was caused by contact between the tibia and the femoral condyles, whereas, at 90° of knee flexion, no resistance was caused by such contact. For direction of thein-situ force, the elevation angle from the tibial plateau was greater at 30° of knee flexion than at 90° of knee flexion. The data gathered on the magnitude and direction of thein-situ force of the PCL should help in our understanding of the dependence of knee flexion angle of the forces within the PCL.