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Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy
Published in: Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy 1/2011

01-12-2011 | Knee

Is there a correlation between posterior tibial slope and non-contact anterior cruciate ligament injuries?

Authors: Erik Hohmann, Adam Bryant, Peter Reaburn, Kevin Tetsworth

Published in: Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy | Special Issue 1/2011

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was (1) to determine differences in posterior tibial slope (PTS) between subjects who underwent ACL reconstruction following a non-contact ACL injury and a matched control uninjured group and (2) to investigate gender differences between ACL-injured subjects and gender-matched controls.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was conducted of all 316 ACL-deficient patients at a large regional academic teaching hospital. A control group was established searching the database of the same hospital for subjects who underwent knee radiographs for acute knee complaints with no ACL injury. Subjects (n = 272; males n = 199; females n = 73) were included if a non-contact mechanism could be established. Exclusion criteria included previous ipsilateral knee injury and/or knee previous surgery. PTS was measured on a digitalized lateral radiograph using the axis of the posterior tibial cortex as a reference.

Results

There was a significant difference (P = 0.008) within the ACL injury group between males and females. There was no significant difference in the PTS angle between those patients with an ACL injury (5.8 ± 3.5 degrees) and the uninjured control group (5.6 ± 3.2 degrees), or between the male ACL injury patients (5.5 ± 3.4) and their control group (5.8 ± 3.1). However, there was a significant difference between the female ACL injury patients (6.7 ± 3.7) and their uninjured control group (5.0 ± 3.4) (P = 0.004).

Conclusion

The results of this study suggest that increased posterior tibial slope appears to contribute to non-contact ACL injuries in females, but not in males.

Level of evidence

Case–control study, Level III.
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Metadata
Title
Is there a correlation between posterior tibial slope and non-contact anterior cruciate ligament injuries?
Authors
Erik Hohmann
Adam Bryant
Peter Reaburn
Kevin Tetsworth
Publication date
01-12-2011
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy / Issue Special Issue 1/2011
Print ISSN: 0942-2056
Electronic ISSN: 1433-7347
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-011-1547-4

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