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Biomechanics of the meniscus-meniscal ligament construct of the knee

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

Abstract

The menisci of the knee act primarily to redistribute contact force across the tibio-femoral articulation. This meniscal function is achieved through a combination of the material, geometry and attachments of the menisci. The main ligaments that attach the menisci to the tibia (insertional ligaments, deep medial collateral ligament), the femur (meniscofemoral ligaments, deep medial collateral ligament) and each other (the anterior intermeniscal ligament) are the means by which the contact force between tibia and femur is distributed into hoop stresses in the menisci to reduce contact pressure at the joint. This means that the functional biomechanics of the menisci cannot be considered in isolation and should be considered as the functional biomechanics of the meniscus-meniscal ligament construct. This article presents the current knowledge on the anatomy and functional biomechanics of the meniscus and its associated ligaments. Much is known about the function of the meniscus-meniscal ligament construct; however, there still remain significant gaps in the literature in terms of the properties of the anterior intermeniscal ligament and its function, the properties of the insertional ligaments, and the most appropriate ways to reconstruct meniscal function surgically.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, Room 431 RSM Building, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, UK

    S. D. Masouros & A. M. J. Bull

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK

    S. D. Masouros & A. A. Amis

  3. Northwood Sports Orthopaedics, 166 Northwood Way, Northwood, Middlesex, HA6 1RB, UK

    I. D. McDermott

  4. The Centre for Sports Medicine and Human Performance, Brunel University School of Sport and Education, Heinz Wolff Building, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH, UK

    I. D. McDermott

  5. Department of Musculoskeletal Surgery, Imperial College London, London, W6 8RF, UK

    A. A. Amis

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  1. S. D. Masouros
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  2. I. D. McDermott
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  3. A. A. Amis
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  4. A. M. J. Bull
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Correspondence to A. M. J. Bull.

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Masouros, S.D., McDermott, I.D., Amis, A.A. et al. Biomechanics of the meniscus-meniscal ligament construct of the knee. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthr 16, 1121–1132 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-008-0616-9

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