Risk Factors for Concomitant Meniscal Injury With Sport-Related Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Sports Medicine
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Previous research on athletes with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries has explored risk factors for concomitant meniscal injuries.
• Factors studied include age, sex, BMI, injury mechanism, and time to surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify additional risk factors for meniscal injuries in athletes with sport-related ACL injuries.
• Investigate preinjury joint laxity and lower extremity alignment as potential risk factors.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study (Level of evidence, 3) included 180 athletes aged 13-26 undergoing ACL reconstruction.
• Contralateral limb alignment and laxity served as proxies for the injured knee.
• Meniscal tear patterns were assessed during ACL reconstruction, with sex-specific analyses.

Main Results:

• Concomitant meniscal injuries occurred in 60.6% of participants, with higher prevalence in males (69.9%) than females (54.2%).
• Male athletes showed increased lateral meniscal injury risk with higher sport participation hours and decreased navicular drop.
• Female athletes exhibited increased lateral meniscal injury risk with genu recurvatum and decreased standing quadriceps angle.

Conclusions:

• Lower extremity alignment and genu recurvatum are associated with meniscal injuries in female athletes with ACL tears.
• Increased sport participation time and navicular drop are linked to meniscal injuries in male athletes.
• Factors like BMI and joint laxity were not significant risk factors in this cohort.