Tibiofemoral joint positioning for the valgus stress test.

Context: Recommendations on the positioning of the tibiofemoral joint during a valgus stress test to optimize isolation of the medial collateral ligament (MCL) from other medial joint structures vary in the literature. If a specific amount of flexion could be identified as optimally isolating the MCL, teaching and using the technique would be more consistent in clinical application.

Objective: To determine the angle of tibiofemoral joint flexion between 0 degrees and 20 degrees that causes a difference in the slope of the force-strain line when measuring the resistance to a valgus force applied to the joint.

Do knees survive the Comrades Marathon?

Objective: To detect by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) the presence and type of knee injuries in non-professional runners after running an ultra-marathon, and to determine whether ultra-marathon running exacerbates pre-existing knee injuries or results in new permanent injuries.

Design: A prospective MRI study of one knee of 10 randomly selected participants who completed the Comrades Marathon between 1997 and 2002. Their knees were scanned 48 hours before the race, and 48 hours and 1 month after the race.

Bilateral medial tibiofemoral joint stiffness in full extension and 20 degrees of knee flexion.

Context: The valgus stress test is used clinically to assess injury to the medial knee structures in 2 positions: full extension and some degree of flexion. The amount of flexion used to "isolate" the medial collateral ligament is not consistent in the literature, but most studies have shown that stiffness of the ligaments was consistent between the limbs.

Objective: To determine (1) if the stiffness of the medial knee structures was the same bilaterally, and (2) if the stiffness was different in full extension compared with 20 degrees of knee flexion.

Clinical association of acute lateral ankle sprain with syndesmotic involvement: a stress radiography and magnetic resonance imaging study.

Background: Information concerning the clinical association between syndesmosis injury and grade of lateral ankle ligament damage would aid in the diagnosis and treatment of ankle sprains.

Hypothesis: Evaluation of lateral ligament injury in terms of percentage tear of both the anterior talofibular and calcaneofibular ligaments can provide information on the extent of syndesmotic involvement.

Study Design: Prospective cohort study.