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High tibial slope correlates with increased posterior tibial translation in healthy knees

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

Abstract

Purpose

Notwithstanding the importance of the tibial slope (TS) for anterior tibial translation, little information is available regarding the implications on posterior laxity, particularly in healthy subjects. It was hypothesized that increased TS is associated with decreased posterior tibial translation (PTT) in healthy knees.

Methods

A total of 124 stress radiographs of healthy knees were enrolled in this study. Tibial slope and the posterior tibial translation were evaluated using a Telos device with a 150-N force at 90° of knee flexion. Two blinded observers reviewed independently on two different occasions.

Results

One hundred and twenty-four patients [35 females and 89 males; 41 (range 18–75) years] were enrolled in this study, with a mean PTT of 2.8 mm (±1.9 mm; range 0–8 mm) and a mean TS of 8.6° (±2.6°; range 1°–14°). Pearson correlation showed a significant correlation between the PTT and TS in the overall patient cohort (P < 0.0001) with r = 0.76 and R 2 = 0.58. There was no statistical difference between female and male patients regarding the PTT or the TS. Subgrouping of the patient cohort (four groups with n = 31) according to their TS (groups I < 7°; II = 7°–8.5°; III = 9°–10.5°; IV ≥ 11°) revealed significant differences between each subgroup, respectively. Furthermore, there was a weak but significant correlation between age and PTT (P = 0.004, r = 0.26).

Conclusion

In addition to the substantial variance in tibial slope and posterior laxity among healthy knees, high tibial slope significantly correlates with increased posterior tibial translation. Increasing age is further associated with a greater magnitude of posterior tibial translation. Consequently, knowledge of the tibial slope facilitates simple estimation of posterior knee laxity, which is mandatory for PCL reconstruction and knee arthroplasty.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Institute for Radiology and Nuclear Medicine of the Charité-University Medicine Berlin, for their continuous support and image allocation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Imke Schatka & Thula C. Walter

  2. Sporthopaedicum Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Andreas Weiler

  3. Center for Musculoskeletal Surgery, Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany

    Tobias M. Jung & Clemens Gwinner

Authors
  1. Imke Schatka
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  2. Andreas Weiler
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  3. Tobias M. Jung
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  4. Thula C. Walter
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  5. Clemens Gwinner
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Correspondence to Clemens Gwinner.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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The authors confirm that no funding was received for this study.

Ethical approval

The ethics committee of Charité-Universitaetsmedizin Berlin (EA1/003/16) approved the current study. A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients, who underwent bilateral posterior stress radiographs, within a 2-year period (May 2014–May 2016).

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Schatka, I., Weiler, A., Jung, T.M. et al. High tibial slope correlates with increased posterior tibial translation in healthy knees. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 26, 2697–2703 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-017-4706-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-017-4706-4

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