Biomechanical evaluation of the influence of posterolateral corner structures on cruciate ligaments forces during simulated gait and squatting

Abstract

Posterolateral corner (PLC) structures of the knee joint comprise complex anatomical soft tissues that support static and dynamic functional movements of the knee. Most previous studies analyzed posterolateral stability in vitro under static loading conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the contributions of the lateral (fibular) collateral ligament (LCL), popliteofibular ligament (PFL), and popliteus tendon (PT) to cruciate ligament forces under simulated dynamic loading conditions by using selective individual resection. We combined medical imaging and motion capture of healthy subjects (four males and one female) to develop subject-specific knee models that simulated the 12 degrees of freedom of tibiofemoral and patellofemoral joint behaviors. These computational models were validated by comparing electromyographic (EMG) data with muscle activation data and were based on previous experimental studies. A rigid multi-body dynamics simulation using a lower extremity musculoskeletal model was performed to incorporate intact and selective resection of ligaments, based on a novel force-dependent kinematics method, during gait (walking) and squatting. Deficiency of the PLC structures resulted in increased loading on the posterior cruciate ligament and anterior cruciate ligament. Among PLC structures, the PT is the most influential on cruciate ligament forces under dynamic loading conditions.