INSTRUMENTED MEASUREMENT OF ANTERIOR-POSTERIOR TRANSLATION IN KNEES WITH CHRONIC ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT TEAR

Anteroposterior translation of the knee joint was measured with a Knee Signature System device on 12 women and 14 men with a unilateral, chr onic, isolated, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear. A control group with stable knees consisted of 10 women and 10 men. Anterior translat ion at 178 N load of the uninjured knees was 8.0 mm (+/- 2.2 mm) and i n knees with an ACL tear, 14.2 mm (+/- 4.2 mm). Corresponding values f or anteroposterior translation were 12.1 mm (+/- 2.5 mm) and 19.3 mm ( +/- 4.9 mm), respectively. A difference of 3 mm or more in anteroposte rior translation at 178 N load between injured and uninjured knees ind icated an ACL tear with 85% specificity and 88% sensitivity.