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In Vivo Tibial Cartilage Strains in Regions of Cartilage-to-Cartilage Contact and Cartilage-to-Meniscus Contact in Response to Walking.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Liu, B; Lad, NK; Collins, AT; Ganapathy, PK; Utturkar, GM; McNulty, AL; Spritzer, CE; Moorman, CT; Sutter, EG; Garrett, WE; DeFrate, LE
Published in: Am J Sports Med
October 2017

BACKGROUND: There are currently limited human in vivo data characterizing the role of the meniscus in load distribution within the tibiofemoral joint. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose was to compare the strains experienced in regions of articular cartilage covered by the meniscus to regions of cartilage not covered by the meniscus. It was hypothesized that in response to walking, tibial cartilage covered by the meniscus would experience lower strains than uncovered tibial cartilage. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive laboratory study. METHODS: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the knees of 8 healthy volunteers was performed before and after walking on a treadmill. Using MRI-generated 3-dimensional models of the tibia, cartilage, and menisci, cartilage thickness was measured in 4 different regions based on meniscal coverage and compartment: covered medial, uncovered medial, covered lateral, and uncovered lateral. Strain was defined as the normalized change in cartilage thickness before and after activity. RESULTS: Within each compartment, covered cartilage before activity was significantly thinner than uncovered cartilage before activity ( P < .001). After 20 minutes of walking, all 4 regions experienced significant cartilage thickness decreases ( P < .01). The covered medial region experienced significantly less strain than the uncovered medial region ( P = .04). No difference in strain was detected between the covered and uncovered regions in the lateral compartment ( P = .40). CONCLUSION: In response to walking, cartilage that is covered by the meniscus experiences lower strains than uncovered cartilage in the medial compartment. These findings provide important baseline information on the relationship between in vivo tibial compressive strain responses and meniscal coverage, which is critical to understanding normal meniscal function.

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Published In

Am J Sports Med

DOI

EISSN

1552-3365

Publication Date

October 2017

Volume

45

Issue

12

Start / End Page

2817 / 2823

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Walking
  • Orthopedics
  • Menisci, Tibial
  • Male
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Knee Joint
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Exercise Test
 

Citation

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Liu, B., Lad, N. K., Collins, A. T., Ganapathy, P. K., Utturkar, G. M., McNulty, A. L., … DeFrate, L. E. (2017). In Vivo Tibial Cartilage Strains in Regions of Cartilage-to-Cartilage Contact and Cartilage-to-Meniscus Contact in Response to Walking. Am J Sports Med, 45(12), 2817–2823. https://doi.org/10.1177/0363546517712506
Liu, Betty, Nimit K. Lad, Amber T. Collins, Pramodh K. Ganapathy, Gangadhar M. Utturkar, Amy L. McNulty, Charles E. Spritzer, et al. “In Vivo Tibial Cartilage Strains in Regions of Cartilage-to-Cartilage Contact and Cartilage-to-Meniscus Contact in Response to Walking.Am J Sports Med 45, no. 12 (October 2017): 2817–23. https://doi.org/10.1177/0363546517712506.
Liu B, Lad NK, Collins AT, Ganapathy PK, Utturkar GM, McNulty AL, et al. In Vivo Tibial Cartilage Strains in Regions of Cartilage-to-Cartilage Contact and Cartilage-to-Meniscus Contact in Response to Walking. Am J Sports Med. 2017 Oct;45(12):2817–23.
Liu, Betty, et al. “In Vivo Tibial Cartilage Strains in Regions of Cartilage-to-Cartilage Contact and Cartilage-to-Meniscus Contact in Response to Walking.Am J Sports Med, vol. 45, no. 12, Oct. 2017, pp. 2817–23. Pubmed, doi:10.1177/0363546517712506.
Liu B, Lad NK, Collins AT, Ganapathy PK, Utturkar GM, McNulty AL, Spritzer CE, Moorman CT, Sutter EG, Garrett WE, DeFrate LE. In Vivo Tibial Cartilage Strains in Regions of Cartilage-to-Cartilage Contact and Cartilage-to-Meniscus Contact in Response to Walking. Am J Sports Med. 2017 Oct;45(12):2817–2823.
Journal cover image

Published In

Am J Sports Med

DOI

EISSN

1552-3365

Publication Date

October 2017

Volume

45

Issue

12

Start / End Page

2817 / 2823

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Walking
  • Orthopedics
  • Menisci, Tibial
  • Male
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Knee Joint
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Exercise Test