Tensile forces at the porcine anterior meniscal horn attachment

Tibiofemoral compression causes circumferential tension in the knee meniscus, which is transferred to the tibial bone at the anterior and posterior attachments. The objective of the study was to measure the resulting tensile forces at the horn attachment in a porcine model. The anterior horn attachment of the porcine medial meniscus (n = 10) was separated from the surrounding bone with a core reamer. A force transducer was installed such that tensile forces acting upon the now mobile horn attachment could be measured. The tibiofemoral joint was loaded in compression, starting at a preload of 30 N, with three 150-N increments, giving 180, 330, and 480 N load. Flexion angles of 0, 30, and 60 degrees were investigated. The average resultant tension at the horn attachment was 26.3, 40.6, and 55.4 N with full extension, 29.2, 47.8, and 62.2 N at 30 degrees flexion and 30.1, 49.6, and 68.1 N at 60 degrees flexion. The tibiofemoral compression had a significant effect on the tension (p < 0.001), whereas no influence of the flexion angle was found (p = 0.291). The study demonstrates that tibiofemoral compressive loads cause considerable tensile forces at the anterior meniscal horn attachment. The data are of interest for models of the repair or replacement of the knee menisci.