Examination of the Feasibility of a 2-Dimensional Portable Assessment of Knee Joint Stability: A Pilot Study

• Published in: Journal of applied biomechanics 2020-12, Vol.36 (6), p.381-389
• Main Authors: Zerega, Ryan, Killelea, Carolyn, Losciale, Justin, Faherty, Mallory, Sell, Timothy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biomechanics; Dimensional analysis; Joint and ligament injuries; Knee
• ISSN: 1065-8483; 1543-2688
• DOI: 10.1123/jab.2020-0024

Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) remains extremely common, with over 250,000 injuries annually. Currently, clinical tests have poor utility to accurately screen for ACL injury risk in athletes. In this study, the position of a knee marker was tracked in 2-dimensional planes to predict biomechanical variables associated with ACL injury risk. Three-dimensional kinematics and ground reaction forces were collected during bilateral, single-leg stop-jump tasks for 44 healthy male military personnel. Knee marker position data were extracted to construct 2-dimensional 95% prediction ellipses in each anatomical plane. Knee marker variables included: ellipse areas, major/minor axes lengths, orientation of ellipse axes, absolute ranges of knee position, and medial knee collapse. These variables were then used as predictor variables in stepwise multiple linear regression analyses for 7 biomechanical variables associated with ACL injury risk. Knee flexion excursion, normalized peak vertical ground reaction forces, and knee flexion angle at initial contact were the response variables that generated the highest adjusted R2 values: .71, .37, and .31, respectively. The results of this study provide initial support for the hypothesis that tracking a single marker during 2-dimensional analysis can accurately reflect the information gathered from 3-dimensional motion analysis during a task assessing knee joint stability.