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Is there a correlation between posterior tibial slope and non-contact anterior cruciate ligament injuries?

  • Knee
  • Published:
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was (1) to determine differences in posterior tibial slope (PTS) between subjects who underwent ACL reconstruction following a non-contact ACL injury and a matched control uninjured group and (2) to investigate gender differences between ACL-injured subjects and gender-matched controls.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was conducted of all 316 ACL-deficient patients at a large regional academic teaching hospital. A control group was established searching the database of the same hospital for subjects who underwent knee radiographs for acute knee complaints with no ACL injury. Subjects (n = 272; males n = 199; females n = 73) were included if a non-contact mechanism could be established. Exclusion criteria included previous ipsilateral knee injury and/or knee previous surgery. PTS was measured on a digitalized lateral radiograph using the axis of the posterior tibial cortex as a reference.

Results

There was a significant difference (P = 0.008) within the ACL injury group between males and females. There was no significant difference in the PTS angle between those patients with an ACL injury (5.8 ± 3.5 degrees) and the uninjured control group (5.6 ± 3.2 degrees), or between the male ACL injury patients (5.5 ± 3.4) and their control group (5.8 ± 3.1). However, there was a significant difference between the female ACL injury patients (6.7 ± 3.7) and their uninjured control group (5.0 ± 3.4) (P = 0.004).

Conclusion

The results of this study suggest that increased posterior tibial slope appears to contribute to non-contact ACL injuries in females, but not in males.

Level of evidence

Case–control study, Level III.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Clinical Medical School, University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia

    Erik Hohmann

  2. Musculoskeletal Research Unit, CQ University, PO Box 4045, Rockhampton, QLD 4700, Australia

    Erik Hohmann

  3. Centre for Health, Exercise and Sports Medicine, Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

    Adam Bryant

  4. School of Medical and Applied Sciences, CQ University, Rockhampton, Australia

    Peter Reaburn

  5. Department of Orthopaedics, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Herston, Australia

    Kevin Tetsworth

  6. Division of Surgery, University of Queensland Medical School, Herston, Australia

    Kevin Tetsworth

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  1. Erik Hohmann
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  2. Adam Bryant
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  4. Kevin Tetsworth
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Erik Hohmann.

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Hohmann, E., Bryant, A., Reaburn, P. et al. Is there a correlation between posterior tibial slope and non-contact anterior cruciate ligament injuries?. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 19 (Suppl 1), 109–114 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-011-1547-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-011-1547-4

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