The American journal of sports medicine
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Anterior cruciate ligament injury rates are four to eight times higher in women than in men. Because of estrogen's direct effect on collagen metabolism and behavior and because neuromuscular performance varies during the menstrual cycle, it is logical to question the menstrual cycle's effect on knee injury rates. Of 40 consecutive female athletes with acute anterior cruciate ligament injuries (less than 3 months), 28 (average age, 23 +/- 11 years) met the study criteria of regular menstrual periods and noncontact injury. ⋯ In particular, there were more injuries than expected in the ovulatory phase of the cycle. In contrast, significantly fewer injuries occurred in the follicular phase. These hormones may be a factor in the knee ligament injury dilemma in women.
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This is a retrospective study of 10 patients with combined cruciate ligament and posterolateral instability who underwent surgical reconstruction between 1991 and 1994. All knees had at least 20 degrees increased external rotation at 30 degrees of knee flexion and from 1+ to 3+ varus instability. Five knees with posterior cruciate ligament ruptures had at least a 2+ Lachman test result. (One knee had both anterior and posterior cruciate ligament injuries). ⋯ The posterior drawer test result decreased, on average, to 1+, and the Lachman test result decreased to between 0 and 1+. The average Tegner score was 4.6, with five patients returning to their preinjury level of activity and four returning to one level lower. These results indicate that this is a promising new procedure for patients with instability resulting from lateral ligament injuries of the knee.
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Labral tears and acromioclavicular joint abnormalities were differentiated on physical examination using a new diagnostic test. The standing patient forward flexed the arm to 90 degrees with the elbow in full extension and then adducted the arm 10 degrees to 15 degrees medial to the sagittal plane of the body and internally rotated it so that the thumb pointed downward. The examiner, standing behind the patient, applied a uniform downward force to the arm. ⋯ Fifty-three of 56 patients whose preoperative examinations indicated a labral tear had confirmed labral tears that were repaired at surgery. Fifty-five of 62 patients who had pain in the acromioclavicular joint and whose preoperative examinations indicated abnormalities in the joint had positive clinical, operative, or radiographic evidence of acromioclavicular injury. There were no false-negative results in either group.
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Ten cadaveric shoulders (mean donor age, 60.5 years) underwent arthroscopic placement of capsulolabral sutures as performed during arthroscopic reconstruction for shoulder instability. In relation to the glenoid face, the sutures were placed anterior, anteroinferior, inferior, posteroinferior, and posterior. All sutures entered the capsule approximately 1 cm away from the glenoid and exited beneath the labrum, and were tied using arthroscopic knot-typing techniques. ⋯ In no specimen was any suture closer to the axillary nerve than 7 mm. We noted a statistically significant trend for the nerve to lie closest to the anteroinferior suture and gradually recede from the remaining sutures lying more posteriorly. This anatomic study is the first to demonstrate a relatively safe margin for arthroscopic suture placement between the capsule and axillary nerve when these sutures are placed approximately 1 cm from the glenoid rim.