The Role of the MPFL and MPTL in Patellar Stability – A Biomechanical Study

Methods: Nine cadaveric knees were used. The MPFL and MPTL were isolated and marked. The knees were potted and rigidly fixed to a materials testing system (Instron, Norwood, MA). A wire was threaded through two concentric holes in the patella allowing it to translate laterally. The knees were secured in different angles of flexion (0o, 10o, 20o, 30o, 40o, 50o, and 60o). At each angle the knees were tested with both structures intact, one or the other transected, the MPFL reconstructed alone, both structures reconstructed and the MPTL reconstructed alone. A repeated measures ANOVA was conducted to examine the difference between force and strain using SPSS statistical software.