Open AccessNo difference in gait between posterior cruciate retention and the posterior stabilized design after total knee arthroplasty
Author(s) -
Boom Lennard G. H.,
Halbertsma Jan P. K.,
Raaij Jos J. A. M.,
Brouwer Reinoud W.,
Bulstra Sjoerd K.,
AkkerScheek Inge
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1433-7347
pISSN - 0942-2056
DOI - 10.1007/s00167-014-3215-y
Subject(s) - posterior cruciate ligament , knee flexion , gait , total knee arthroplasty , medicine , kinematics , gait analysis , knee joint , gait cycle , significant difference , orthodontics , anterior cruciate ligament , physical medicine and rehabilitation , surgery , physics , classical mechanics
Purpose In the present study, knee joint kinematics (e.g. knee flexion/extension) and kinetics (e.g. knee flexion moments) are assessed after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) between patients implanted with either a unilateral posterior stabilized (PS) and a posterior cruciate‐retaining (PCR) design. It was hypothesized that maximum knee flexion during the loading response of the stance phase is greater in patients implanted with a PS design than in patients with a PCR design. Secondarily, it was hypothesized that patients with a PS design show decreased knee flexion moments during loading, compared with patients implanted with a PCR design. Methods This study examined two groups of TKA patients: one group ( n = 12) with a PS design in which the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) was sacrificed and the other ( n = 9) with a PCR design. Gait analysis was used in level walking before and 6–9 months after surgery, to assess knee joint kinematics and kinetics during the loading response of the stance phase. Results No significant differences in maximum knee flexion between the two groups were found during the loading response of the stance phase. No significant differences in knee flexion moments were found either. Although in both groups knee flexion moments increased postoperatively, this was not statistically significant. In the contralateral (nonimplanted) knees, all mean knee flexion moments decreased postoperatively for both groups, yet this was not significant. Conclusions The present gait analysis study showed no differences in kinematics and kinetics between the PS and the PCR TKP design. This might suggest that surgeons do not necessarily need to substitute the PCL by a PS design during TKA. Level of evidence Prospective comparative study, Level II.