Isokinetic angle-specific moments and ratios characterizing hamstring and quadriceps strength in anterior cruciate ligament deficient knees

Sci Rep. 2017 Aug 4;7(1):7269. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-06601-5.

Abstract

This study is intended to find more effective and robust clinical diagnostic indices to characterize muscle strength and coordination alternation following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture. To evaluate angle-specific moments and hamstring (H)/quadriceps (Q) ratios, 46 male subjects with unilateral chronic ACL-rupture performed isokinetic concentric (c), eccentric (e) quadriceps and hamstring muscle tests respectively at 60°/s. Normalized moments and H/Q ratios were calculated for peak moment (PM) and 30°, 40°, 50°, 60°, 70°, 80° knee flexion angles. Furthermore, we introduced single-to-arithmetic-mean (SAM) and single-to-root-mean-square (SRMS) muscle co-contraction ratios, calculating them for specific angles and different contraction repetitions. Normalized PM and 40° specific concentric quadriceps, concentric hamstring strength in the ACL-deficient knee were reduced significantly (P ≤ 0.05). Concentric angle-specific moments together with Qe/Qc ratios at 40° (d = 0.766 vs. d = 0.654) identify more obvious differences than peak values in ACL ruptured limbs. Furthermore, we found SRMS-QeQc deficits at 40° showed stronger effect than Qe/Qc ratios (d = 0.918 vs. d = 0.766), albeit other ratio differences remained basically the same effect size as the original H/Q ratios. All the newly defined SAM and SRMS indices could decrease variance. Overall, 40° knee moments and SAM/SRMS ratios might be new potential diagnosis indices for ACL rupture detection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries / etiology
  • Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries / physiopathology*
  • Hamstring Muscles / physiopathology*
  • Humans
  • Knee Injuries / etiology
  • Knee Injuries / physiopathology*
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Muscle Contraction*
  • Muscle Strength*
  • Quadriceps Muscle / physiopathology*
  • Range of Motion, Articular