Osteoarthritis in the Anterior Cruciate Ligament-deficient Knee—Epidemiology, Biomechanics, and Effects on the Meniscus and Articular Cartilage

Abstract

Abstract
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears are one of the most commonly encountered and operated on problems in sports medicine. The natural history of the ACL-deficient knee and its association with the long-term development of osteoarthritis remains a topic of interest in the orthopaedic surgery literature. Recent long-term clinical studies have confirmed that patients with chronic ACL deficiency have an increased risk for secondary meniscal damage and chondral injury; however, a clear link between ACL deficiency and the development of osteoarthritic changes in the knee has yet to be documented. This article reviews the current understanding of the association between ACL deficiency and osteoarthritis, focusing on the biomechanics of ACL deficiency and its impact on meniscal and articular cartilage injury.

Keywords
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), osteoarthritis, meniscus, articular cartilage, biomechanics

Disclosure: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Received: October 23, 2009 Accepted: December 13, 2009 Citation: US Musculoskeletal Review, 2010;5:65–69
Correspondence: Joseph U Barker, MD, Rush University Medical Center, 1611 W Harrison Street, Suite 400, Chicago, IL 60612. E: jubarker@hotmail.com