[Proprioceptive deficit following cruciate lesions--afferent disorder or compensatory mechanism?]

It was suggested that the ACL has not only mechanical functions but also acts as proprioceptive organ. In cruciate deficient knees pathological patterns of muscle control were found. These findings could be caused by a disturbed afferent signal from the disrupted ACL or by secondary changes in muscle innervation, which shall protect the instable knee against subluxation. 33 patients with unilateral operative ACL repair (21 cases with primary suture, 12 cases with autogenous ligamentum-patellae-reconstruction; average post op 36.5 yr) were examined clinically and with the KT 1000 arthrometer (MEDMETRIC Inc.). Patients history was evaluated by using the LYSHOLM score. During a cycling task the electromyographic activity was monitored from the thigh muscles (M. vastus lat. and med., lat. and med. hamstrings). In comparison to the ACL deficient patients, we tested 25 healthy subjects of same age and activity level. In the ACL group the following differences to the normals were found: the M. vastus lat. showed a significantly delayed onset, earlier end and shorter duration. M. vastus med. had the same pattern; the delayed begin of activity and the shorter duration were statistically significant. M. biceps femoris showed a significant later onset and shorter duration. So did the medial hamstrings; the differences, however, were not statistically significant. There was no significant difference between operated and healthy leg in the ACL group. By comparing the primary sutures and the ligamentum-patellae-reconstructions no significant differences were found. The instable patients (KT 1000 > 3 mm) of the ACL group showed more distinct differences in the EMG pattern than the patients with stable knee joints.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)