Preventing anterior cruciate ligament failure during impact compression by restraining anterior tibial translation or axial tibial rotation

Abstract

Anterior cruciate ligament injury is highly prevalent in activities that involve large and rapid landing impact loads. We hypothesize that restraining anterior tibial translation or axial tibial rotation can prevent the anterior cruciate ligament from failing at the range of peak compressive load that can induce ligament failure when both factors are unrestrained. Sixteen porcine knee specimens were mounted onto a material-testing system at 70-deg flexion. Single 10-Hz haversine impact compression was successively repeated with incremental actuator displacement until ligament failure/visible bone fracture was noted. During impact compression, rotational and translational data of the knee joi..