The American journal of sports medicine
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A small femoral notch width index has been reported as a predictive factor for anterior cruciate ligament injury and implicated in the higher incidence of anterior cruciate ligament injuries in female athletes. Notch-plasty has been recommended for the unaffected knees of patients who have torn one anterior cruciate ligament and whose notch width index falls one standard deviation below "normal". However, the symmetry of the notch width index has not been specifically studied. ⋯ Finally, there was no difference in notch width index between patients with and without anterior cruciate ligament tears. These findings suggest that the notch width index alone is not the critical etiologic factor in the patient with a unilateral anterior cruciate ligament tear. Furthermore, the increased incidence of anterior cruciate ligament tears in female patients compared with male patients in the same sports cannot be attributed to notch width index alone.