The end-point and the remnant of the injured cruciate ligaments of the knee

The relationship between the remnant of the injured cruciate ligaments and the end-point was investigated by analyzing quantitatively the magnitude and stiffness of anterior-posterior instability using a knee arthrometer (KT- 2000). Thirty-eight normal subjects, 44 chronic ACL injuries and 20 chronic PCL injuries were involved. In the ACL injury, the magnitude of the displacement increased regardless of the remnant condition, but the stiffness reduced when no remnant or only a stump was observed. In the PCL injury, the magnitude increased but the stiffness remained normal, which corresponds to clinical findings, as a thick remnant is often left in the PCL injury.