Abstract
The objective of this study was to clarify the contribution of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) on the knee joint stability. The ACL consists of three ligament bundles, each with their own different function. Based on the ACL triple bundle theory, a porcine stifle joint with the anteromedial bundle (AMB), intermediate bundle (1MB) and posteromedial bundle (PLB) was prepared. The knee joint was placed in a material testing machine capable of releasing/constraining 5 DoFs of the knee. The load contribution of each bundle was estimated by, sequentially cutting each bundle from the knee joint and measuring the load during an anterior-posterior drawer test. As a result, large decrease in the load contribution was observed when 1MB and PLB were cut, however only a small contribution was seen for the AMB.
