The purpose of this study was to examine intratester reliability of a test designed to measure tightness in the hamstring muscles. The test measures the angle of knee flexion with a pendulum goniometer after active knee extension with the hip stabilized at 90 degrees flexion. The angle of knee flexion represents hamstring tightness. After an instruction session for the subjects, the hamstring m...

We evaluated the long-term outcome of isolated endoscopically-assisted posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in 26 patients using hamstring tendon autografts after failure of conservative management. At ten years after surgery the mean International Knee Documentation Committee subjective knee score was 87 (SD 14) of a possible 100 points. Regular participation in moderate to strenuous act...

From individual randomized studies, it is unclear whether patellar tendon grafts or hamstring tendon grafts yield the best functional results after ACL reconstruction. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to provide quantitative data to compare patellar with hamstring grafts after ACL reconstruction with regard to knee function. We searched computerized databases for randomized controlled tr...

Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) ruptures account for nearly 20% of all ligamentous knee injuries. These may be either isolated or in the setting of a more complex knee trauma. Isolated tears with moderate posterior laxity (grades I or II) are commonly treated conservatively; nevertheless, symptomatic grade III injuries frequently require surgical intervention. PCL reconstruction remains a cha...

An increasing concern has been given to the rotation stability of the knee in the setting of an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. This growing interest stems from a better understanding of the rotational stability of the knee afforded by the identification of the anterolateral ligament. Previously, a residual abnormal pivot-shift test had been found after an anatomic single-band ...

Eleven skeletally immature adolescents underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using a transphyseal tibial and femoral tunnel. An autologous quadrupled hamstring tendon was used in all cases and the average follow-up was 77.7 months. Clinical results were evaluated using Lysholm knee scores and a return to pre-injury sports activities. Radiological results were evaluated using side-...

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture is a common disease that accounts for 250,000 cases/year in the United States. The anterolateral ligament (ALL) has been suggested to be an important restraint for rotational instability, and its reconstruction provides a reinforcement to the ACL reconstruction in this aspect, especially in high-demand athletes and in knees with high-grade pivot shif...

BACKGROUND Tibial fixation of hamstring tendon grafts has been the weak link in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. HYPOTHESIS Use of a central four-quadrant sleeve and screw provides superior fixation when compared with standard interference screw fixation. STUDY DESIGN Controlled laboratory study. METHODS In eight pairs of cadaveric knees each anterior cruciate ligament was recon...

The meniscal impingement syndrome consists of three elements: impaction on the anterior medial femoral condyle by the leading edge of the medial meniscus, articular cartilage damage of at least Outerbridge grade 3, and knee hyperextension of at least 5 degrees. This report reviews this condition in a series of seven knees with an average follow-up of 39 months. The time from the onset of sympto...

Medial plica irritation of the knee is a very common source of anterior knee pain. Patients can complain of pain over the anteromedial aspect of their knees and describe episodes of crepitation, catching, and pseudo-locking events with activities. Patients commonly have pain on physical examination upon rolling the plica fold of tissue over the anteromedial aspect of their knees and often have ...