The effects of flexion and rotation on the length patterns of the ligaments of the knee

Wang, Ching-Jen; Walker, Peter S.; Wolf, Barry

Affiliations

¹Hospital for Special Surgery, 535 East 70 Street, New York 10021, U.S.A.

²School of Mechanical Engineering, New York University, Bronx, New York, U.S.A.

Abstract

Measurements have been made of the lengths of the ligaments in human knee joint specimens. The ligaments considered were the lateral collateral, medial collateral, anterior cruciate and posterior cruciate. The ligament length patterns were determined for twelve specimens at flexions of 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120°, in neutral, internal rotation and external rotation at each angle. The collateral ligaments steadily diminished by about 20 per cent in length from 0 to 120° flexion, rotation having little effect. The anterior cruciate gradually increased 10 per cent from 0 to 120° flexion and the posterior cruciate, was 10 per cent longer at 0° flexion than at all other angles for which length was constant. The action of the cruciates was therefore somewhat reciprocal. Rotation had a significant effect on cruciate lengths, affecting the anterior more than the posterior cruciate. Computations were made of the change in length of the anterior and posterior fibres of each cruciate ligament, in relation to the central fibres. Reciprocal functions between fibres were demonstrated.

Links

DOI: 10.1016/0021-9290(73)90016-X

PubMed: 4757478

WoS: A1973R299900001

History

Received: 1973-04-17

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Cited By (26)

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