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- Title
The influence of functional knee bracing on the anterior cruciate ligament strain biomechanics in weightbearing and nonweightbearing knees.
- Authors
Fleming BC; Renstrom PA; Beynnon BD; Engstrom B; Peura G
- Abstract
Functional knee braces are commonly prescribed after anterior cruciate ligament injury or reconstruction; however, their ability to protect the ligament, or graft, remains unclear. Our objective was to evaluate the anterior cruciate ligament strain response in braced and unbraced knees during weightbearing and nonweightbearing in combination with three extemally applied loads: 1) anterior-posterior shear forces, 2) internal-external torques, and 3) varus-valgus moments. The Legend brace was tested. All external loads were applied to the tibia with the knee flexed to 20 degrees. Reproducible data were obtained from 11 subjects. For anterior shear loads up to 130 N, the brace significantly reduced strain values compared with the unbraced knee during nonweightbearing and weightbearing conditions. For intemal torques of the tibia (up to 9 N x m), strain in the braced knee was significantly less than in the unbraced knee when the knee was nonweightbearing only. The brace did not reduce strain values when the knee was subjected to external torques (9 N x m) or varus-valgus moments (10 N x m) in weightbearing and nonweightbearing knees. These data indicate that a functional knee brace can protect the anterior cruciate ligament during anterior-posterior shear loading in the nonweightbearing and weightbearing knee and during internal torques in the nonweightbearing knee.
- Publication
American Journal of Sports Medicine, 2000, Vol 28, Issue 6, p815
- ISSN
0363-5465
- Publication type
Journal Article
- DOI
10.1177/03635465000280060901