Reproducing a non-contact ACL injury

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries typically require surgery and a year of rehabilitation to return to preinjury levels of athletic activity.  This is a fairly common athletic injury (approximately 100,000 per year), and around 70% are non-contact injuries, which typically occur during a rapid deceleration and/or change of direction.  A cutting maneuver is one activity that fits this description.  We have developed a loading profile using the knee flexion angle and the loads at the knee to simulate a cutting maneuver in the KKS.  The simulated cutting maneuver is being used to investigate which factors contribute most to loading the ACL by simulating cutting maneuvers on cadaveric knees while measuring ACL strain with a DVRT (Microstrain).  The loads during the cutting maneuver will be systematically increased with each trial until an ACL or other knee injury occurs.  The DVRT data will be used to compare the individual influences of anterior forces, internal torques, and valgus moments on ACL strain to determine, which have a higher involvement in loading the ACL.  Following the ACL rupture, a surgeon will inspect the injury to compare it to what is observed clinically.