Search Results (2)

This study aimed to analyze the biomechanical differences in knees that underwent reconstruction using four-strand hamstring or bone–patellar tendon–bone autografts during the side-hop test. This case–control study included 46 participants: 18 controls, and 28 individuals who underwent reconstruction with hamstring (n = 15) or patellar (n = 13) tendons. The Theia Markerless system and Visual3D provided information on knee kinematics, namely time of contact with the ground, maximum varus and valgus angles, and flexion during maximum valgus and varus. Additionally, we assessed the activity levels of the participants pre- and post-surgery using the Tegner Activity Scale. Data analysis was conducted using ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc test. Significant differences were observed in terms of contact time with the ground between the control and autograft groups (p = 0.025, g = −1.13; p = 0.014, g = −1.09), but not between the autograft groups. Other variables did not demonstrate statistically significant differences; however, there was a slight tendency to greater valgus in patellar autografts and greater varus with hamstring tendons. The absence of significant differences between the groups may indicate that both autografts allow knee kinematics restoration by engaging neuromuscular and proprioceptive mechanisms that compensate for anatomical alterations. Full article

Background/Objectives: The purpose of this study was to preoperatively estimate the four-strand hamstring graft size in a White Caucasian population, using anthropometric data. Methods: This was a prospective study of a consecutive series of fifty patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture, who were scheduled for reconstruction using hamstring autografts; however, one of them was ultimately not enrolled according to the exclusion criteria (49 patients in total). Preoperatively, age, sex, weight, body mass index (BMI), length, and diameter of the contralateral thigh, length of the harvested gracilis/semitendinosus tendons, and length and thickness of the four-stranded graft were recorded. Graft diameter and length were dependent variables, measured via a graft sizer and a ruler, respectively. Quantitative variables were described with mean ± SD (correlated in a pairwise manner with Pearson’s r correlation). Qualitative variables were described with an absolute count (relative % percent) per categorical level, and their dependency on any quantitative (dependent) variable was assessed via Student’s t-test. Results: The mean lengths of the gracilis and semitendinosus were 25.6 ± 3.2 cm and 28.4 ± 3.3 cm, respectively, and they were positively correlated with the length of the four-strand hamstring graft along with the patients’ height and thigh length. Conclusions: The use of anthropometric data can assist in the prediction of the hamstring autograft size, aiding the selection of an appropriate graft type. The four-strand hamstring graft length was related to the gracilis, semitendinosus, and thigh length. The patients’ height was related to the graft length and diameter. Full article