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Internal tibial torsion is associated with medial meniscus posterior horn tears

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Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

Risk factors for meniscal tears play a decisive role in deciding on treatment and rehabilitation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of tibial rotation on medial meniscus posterior horn tears (MMPHTs).

Methods

This study is a retrospective case–control study. Fifty patients with meniscal tears and 57 knees with intact meniscus were compared. Tibial rotation, femoral version, tibial slope and knee varus were measured in each participant. Knee osteoarthritis was classified according to the Kellgren–Lawrence classification. Demographic characteristics were noted.

Results

There were significant differences in the mean tibial torsion angles and mean mechanical axes between the groups. The mean tibial rotation and mean mechanical axis were 26.3° ± 6.7 and 3.7° ± 2.7 in the MMPHT group and 30.3° ± 8.4 and 2.05° ± 2.7 in the control group, respectively (p = 0.008, p = 0.002).

Conclusion

The current retrospective study has shown that tibial rotation is markedly reduced in patients with MMPHTs. Although the actual mechanism is not clear, the internal torsion of the tibia causes a decrease in the foot progression angle and increases the knee adduction moment, which in turn increases the medial tibial contact pressure. Internal torsion of the tibia, such as knee varus, may play a role in the aetiology of MMPHTs by this way. Whilst there was a significant difference in the mean varus and tibial torsion between the groups, there was no significant difference in the mean femoral version or tibial slope.

Level of evidence

III.

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Funding

Each author certifies that he or she has no financial or nonfinancial interests. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Gaziosmapanasa Medicalpark Hospital, Istinye University, Merkez Mah., Çukurçeşme Sok. No: 57-59, Gaziosmanpaşa Medicalpark Hospital, Bayrampaşa, Istanbul, Turkey

    Erhan Bayram, Nurullah Şener, Musa Korkmaz & Mahmut Ercan Çetinus

  2. Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Çam Ve Sakura Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

    Cem Yıldırım

  3. Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Haseki Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

    Mahmud Aydın

  4. Department of Radiology, Gaziosmapanasa Medicalpark Hospital, Istinye University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Işıl Yurdaışık

Authors
  1. Erhan Bayram
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  2. Nurullah Şener
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  3. Musa Korkmaz
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  4. Cem Yıldırım
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  5. Mahmud Aydın
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  6. Işıl Yurdaışık
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  7. Mahmut Ercan Çetinus
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Contributions

EB designed the study and wrote the paper. NS edited the manuscript. MK participated in the design of the study. CY collected the data. MA analysed the data. IY made measurements. EC helped design and coordination. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. The article contains 2073 words when the references and abstract are excluded.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Erhan Bayram.

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Ethical approval

This study was approved by Istınye University Ethical Committee with number 2/2021. K-77.

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Bayram, E., Şener, N., Korkmaz, M. et al. Internal tibial torsion is associated with medial meniscus posterior horn tears. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 31, 2251–2256 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-022-07173-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-022-07173-2

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