REDUCTION OF ANTERIOR DRAWER OF THE KNEE- JOINT BY MEANS OF REHABILITATION BRACES - COMPARISON OF MVP BRACE AND DONJOY-GOLD POINT BRACE

In 20 patients with chronic anterior instability of one knee, two reha bilitation braces (MVP, Donjoy-Gold point) were tested for their abili ty to limit tibiofemoral translation. A KT-1000 arthrometer was used t o quantify the anterior drawer. Both braces significantly reduced pas sive anterior drawer at 67 N, 89 N and maximal manual shear load and a lso active anterior drawer. Without a brace the mean anterior drawer w as 12.3 mm (67 N), 14.4 mm (89 N), 17.2 mm (maximal manual drawer) and 9.1 mm (active drawer). With the MVP brace the mean anterior drawer w as 6.8 mm (67 N), 8.5 mm (89 N), 11.0 mm (maximal manual drawer) and 6 .8 mm (active drawer). With the Donjoy brace the mean anterior drawer was 9.2 mm (67 N), 11.0 mm (89 N), 13.1 mm (maximal manual drawer) and 7.4 mm (active drawer). Control values for the non-injured opposite k nee were 6.5 mm (67 N), 7.2 mm (89 N), 8.1 mm (maximal manual drawer) and 5.6 mm (active drawer). In direct comparison, the MVP brace provid ed better stabilization than the Donjoy-Gold point brace did.