Effect of Partial Medial Meniscectomy on the Interaction Between Primary and Secondary Knee Motion During Gait

Meniscal injury is a well-known risk factor for osteoarthritis (OA); the leading treatment (meniscectomy) increases the risk for osteoarthritis four times over sixteen years [1]. Reports that meniscectomy patients display altered gait kinetics and kinematics post-operation [2,3] suggest altered gait mechanics as a potential link between meniscal resection and increased risk for OA. Specifically it has been suggested that altered gait is a pathway to OA by causing a shift in tibiofemoral cartilage contact location to unprepared regions, which leads to cartilage breakdown [4]. The altered gait mechanics of particular interest are secondary motions of the knee, including internal-external (IE) rotation and adduction angle. While previous research has shown there to be a decrease in early stance (ES) and mid-stance (MS) range of motion (ROM) in knee flexion angle along with decreased peak extension of the affected versus contralateral limb, there is a lack of data relating the interaction between primary (flexion) and secondary (IE rotation and adduction angle) motions of the knee in the meniscectomy population [2,3]. Yet this information is important for understanding the ambulatory conditions associated with knee OA following meniscectomy.