Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 23, 2026
Early Weight-Bearing Rehabilitation Protocol After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Published on: March 1, 2024
Sagittal plane translation during level walking in poor-functioning and well-functioning patients with anterior
1Institution of Health and Society, Physical Therapy, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden. joanna.kvist@ihs.liu.se
Background:
Some patients with anterior cruciate ligament deficiency can function well and participate in high-level sports, whereas others have functional limitations even during activities of daily living.
Hypothesis:
Patients who function well after an anterior cruciate ligament injury can stabilize the knee joint during gait by an anterior positioning of the tibia.
Study Design:
Controlled laboratory study.
Methods:
Sagittal tibial translation was registered with the CA-4000 electrogoniometer, during the Lachman test and walking, in 20 patients with a unilateral anterior cruciate ligament injury. Eleven patients functioned well (Lysholm score > or = 84), and 9 patients had poor knee function (Lysholm score < 84).
Results:
During gait, the well-functioning group had 24% greater anterior translation in the injured leg compared to the noninjured leg. In the poor-functioning group, the anterior translation in the injured leg was 16% smaller compared to the noninjured leg (P = .0003). Tibial translation during the Lachman test was similar in the injured leg in the 2 groups.
Conclusion:
Patients who function well position their tibiae near the anterior border of the joint play. This position may encourage functional stability.
Clinical Relevance:
Rehabilitation that emphasizes training to stabilize the tibia in an anterior position may improve functional stability of the anterior cruciate ligament-deficient knee.
