Anterolateral ligament of the knee: anatomy, biomechanics and functional recovery

doi:10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2016.11.021

Abstract

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Anterior cruciate ligament injury accompanied by unstable rotation is a hotspot in sports medicine. Further understanding of the anatomy and biomechanics of the anterolateral ligament can play a guiding significance for the recovery of knee joint rotational stability.
OBJECTIVE: To systematically review current literature on the anterolateral ligament of the knee and to understand the incidence, anatomy, morphology and histology of the anterolateral ligament as well as mechanism of anterolateral ligament injury.
METHODS: The first author searched the PubMed, Medline, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP databases for articles specifically addressing the anterolateral ligament. Data extraction related to the incidence, anatomy, morphometry, biomechanics, and histology of the anterolateral ligament and its relation to the “Segond” fracture was performed. The retrieve time ranged from 1878 to 2015. Totally 362 literatures were retrieved, including 342 articles in English and 20 in Chinese. According to inclusive and exclusive criteria, 42 articles were included in result analysis.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The occurrence rate of the anterolateral ligament ranges from 83% to 100%, and this range occurs because of small discrepancies in the definition of the bony insertions of the anterolateral ligament. The anterolateral ligament originates anterior and distal to the femoral attachment of the lateral collateral ligament. It spans the joint in an oblique fashion and inserts between the fibular head and Gerdy tubercle of the tibia. Exact anatomic and morphometric descriptions vary in the literature, and there are discrepancies regarding the anterolateral ligament attachment to the capsule and lateral meniscus. The anterolaterial ligament is a contributor to the stability of tibial internal rotation, and histologically, it exhibits parallel, crimped fibers consistent with a ligamentous microstructure. The footprint of the anterolateral ligament has been shown to be at the exact location of the Segond fracture. The anterolateral ligament is a distinct ligamentous structure at the anterolateral plane of the knee, and it is likely involved in the control of excessive tibial internal rotation that can cause the Segond fracture.

中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点：组织构建；骨细胞；软骨细胞；细胞培养；成纤维细胞；血管内皮细胞；骨质疏松；组织工程

Wu Jiang, Huang Jing-min, Zhao Bin, Cao Jian-gang, Chen Xiao . Anterolateral ligament of the knee: anatomy, biomechanics and functional recovery[J]. Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research, 2016, 20(11): 1658-1665.

Figures/Tables 1

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