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Poorer function linked with greater laxity of the uninjured knee after ACL reconstruction
After ACL reconstruction, greater anterior laxity of the uninjured knee was associated with poorer stability and functional outcomes, according to study results.
Researchers retrospectively reviewed 163 patients who had undergone unilateral ACL reconstruction between January 2002 and August 2009 and allocated patients into the following three groups according to the anterior laxity of the contralateral, normal knee in 30° of knee flexion as measured with a KT2000 arthrometer exerting a force of 134 N: less than 5 mm for group 1; 5 mm to 7.5 mm for group 2 and greater than 7.5 mm for group 3. Researchers assessed anterior laxity of the uninjured knee preoperatively and anterior laxity of the reconstructed knee at 24 months postoperatively. Lachman and pivot-shift tests were used to assess anterior stability of the knee, while functional outcomes were assessed with the Lysholm score and the IKDC score.
Overall, study results showed the three groups differed significantly with respect to the postoperative side-to-side difference in anterior laxity, Lysholm and IKDC subjective scores. In the anterior laxity of the reconstructed knee, researchers found a mean side-to-side difference of 2.1 mm in group 1; 2.2 mm in group 2 and 2.9 mm in group 3. Postoperatively, the Lysholm score was 91.8 in group 1; 90.3 in group 2 and 85.4 in group 3, while the IKDC subjective score was 89.3 in group 1; 87.9 in group 2 and 82.6 in group 3. Compared with groups 1 and 2, group 3 had significantly greater anterior laxity and lower function scores as shown by post hoc testing.
Disclosure: The researchers have no relevant financial disclosures.