Effects of alterations in gait mechanics on the development of osteoarthritis in the acl-deficient knee

Abstract

In this chapter, the kinematic and kinetic changes in the knee after ACL injury are discussed. Human motion analysis supports the observation that altered rotational positions in the ACL-deficient knee lead to changes in tibiofemoral contact during walking. The interaction between altered joint kinematics and the structural and biological components of articular cartilage are explored as an initiating mechanism of premature cartilage degradation following ACL injury. This mechanism provides a framework for studying OA that unifies kinematic and biological investigations and should form the development of techniques to prevent the initiation and progression of OA in the ACL-injured population.