BIOMECHANICAL ANALYSIS OF PRE- AND POST-MENISCECTOMY KNEES. A PROSPECTIVE STUDY

Abstract

Aim of this study is the investigation of lower limbs biomechanics before and after meniscectomy.

Materials and methods: Ten volunteers candidate to partial medial meniscectomy underwent motion analysis before surgery, six months and one year after. Ten healthy volunteers acted as a control group

Data were acquired by means of Vicon motion analysis system

Results: In gait patterns investigation, joint kinematics does not show significant modifications before and 6 months after surgery, 12 months after surgery hip and knee show a greater flexion.

The dynamic analysis stresses alterations in knee sagittal moment. Before surgery the knee flexion moment is reduced. After partial meniscectomy the knee flexion moment increases in both the limbs. In squatting investigation, main focus was on repeatability. Before surgery high inter subjects variability affects knee joint angle; while after surgery high variability affects also hip and ankle.

Conclusions: After meniscectomy, gait and squatting patterns are still altered. Before surgery, the joint mechanical structure is not highly altered and modifications are mainly due to pain avoidance schemas; after partial meniscectomy, pain disappears and the new joint behaviours are probably caused by the new mechanical asset and/or proprioceptive mechanisms.