Hip acetabular dysplasia and joint laxity of female anterior cruciate ligament-injured patients

Abstract

Background: It has been noted that some female anterior cruciate ligament-injured patients have complaints of both coxalgia and joint laxity.

Hypothesis: Female anterior cruciate ligament-injured patients tend to have both acetabular dysplasia and generalized joint laxity.

Study design: Cohort study (prevalence); Level of evidence, 2.

Methods: Hip radiographs of 100 female anterior cruciate ligament-injured patients and 40 female athletes without any hip joint complaints or history of anterior cruciate ligament injury were evaluated by measuring their center-edge angle (CEA). In addition, generalized joint laxity tests using 8 items were performed for anterior cruciate ligament-injured patients. Anterior-posterior (A-P) tibiofemoral translation of the uninjured knee was measured using a KT-1000 knee arthrometer to evaluate joint laxity under anesthesia before anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Results: The average (± standard deviation) CEA of female anterior cruciate ligament-injured patients was 25.5° ± 5.3° (uninjured side) and 25.8° ± 4.8° (injured side), and that of the control group was 28.2° ± 4.2° (right side) and 29.2° ± 5.7° (left side), both P < .05. Among the 100 patients with anterior cruciate ligament tears, both the generalized joint laxity score and A-P tibiofemoral translation of the group with acetabular dysplasia (CEA of <25°, n = 37) were significantly greater than that of the normal group (CEA of ≥25°, n = 63). There was a negative correlation between the CEA of female anterior cruciate ligament-injured patients and both the generalized joint laxity score and A-P tibiofemoral translation.

Conclusion: The CEA of female anterior cruciate ligament-injured patients was significantly smaller than that of the control group. Statstical analysis showed a moderate negative correlation between the CEA and generalized joint laxity score. Female athletes with an anterior cruciate ligament injury had an increased prevalence of acetabular dysplasia and generalized joint laxity.