Biomechanics of walking before and after surgical treatment of damaged menisci of the knee joint

Abstract

A significant part of the knee joint (KJ) damages comprise the lesions of its menisci. Both traumatic and degenerative menisci damages are frequent indications for surgical treatment. In the available literature there are a few articles devoted to the study of the KJ function when walking before and after meniscus resection. We have studied the biomechanical changes characteristic of KJ meniscus damage, before and after surgical treatment. The study included 24 patients who were operated on for meniscus rupture of both traumatic and degenerative nature. During the arthroscopic intervention, we performed a meniscus resection within the damaged unstable tissues. In the postoperative period all patients received rehabilitation treatment. The control group included 20 healthy adults (14 males and 6 females). The median age was 29.7 years. The biomechanics of gait was studied: the time of the step cycle, movements in the hip joints (HJ) and KJ in three mutually perpendicular planes and shock loads during walking. The time characteristics of the step cycle remain normal both before and after surgery. The load on the affected limb increases in the postoperative period. The amplitude of movements in HJ and KJ is reduced before treatment and restored after it. KJ meniscus damage does not lead to a significant change in the biomechanics of walking. The recorded parameters of the step cycle do not change, i.e. the existing changes do not affect the time structure; 3 months after surgical treatment on the side of the lesion, shock loads increase to normal values, the amplitude of HJ extension, KJ flexion and rotational movements in it increases. The function of operated KJ was normalized in conditions of walking on a flat surface.

Keywords

• biomechanics of walking
• knee joint
• meniscus injury