Detecting side-to-side differences of lower limb biomechanics during single-legged forward landing after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Background: Motion analysis can be used to evaluate functional recovery after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction; however, the biomechanics parameters of the lower limb that are specifically altered in ACL-reconstructed knees compared to the contralateral side are not well understood. This retrospective study aimed to compare side-to-side differences in lower limb biomechanics during the first 100 milliseconds (ms) after initial contact in a single-leg forward landing task. Methods: Using three-dimensional motion analysis, lower joint kinematic and kinetic variables were measured 8-10 months postoperatively in 22 patients who had undergone ACL reconstruction. We determined side-to-side differences in lower limb biomechanics over the 100-ms timeframe after landing, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to calculate the area under the curve (AUC) for parameters showing significant side-to-side differences. Results: During the 100-ms timeframe after landing, 58 kinematic and kinetic items showed significant side-to-side differences. Side-to-side differences in lower limb biomechanics over the 40-ms timeframe after landing existed. The ROC curve analysis identified 11 items with AUC values >= 0.70, including hip flexion, abduction moment, and knee joint power, and their AUC values were not significantly different. Conclusion: Hip flexion/abduction moment and knee power after GRF max could be used as outcomes for assessing functional recovery in patients who have undergone ACL reconstruction. (c) 2022 The Japanese Orthopaedic Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.