Abstract
The mechanisms and strategies by which anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) deficient individuals attempt to stabilize their knee(s) are unclear. Thus, the main purpose of this study was to investigate effects of anterior-posterior (AP) laxity on muscle forces during walking. Using human cadaver's experiment data, AP laxity during gait was calculated. Intact knee model (INT) and ACL-deficient knee model (ACLD) were developed. The knee AP laxity of the models were the experimentally derived knee AP laxity data. Using these models, gait simulation was conducted in OpenSim. As a results, hip extensors and knee flexors muscle force increased more in ACLD model than in INT model increased in stance phase. In addition, hip adductors muscle force increased more in ACLD model than in INT model in swing phase. It is suggested that ACL-deficient knee may alter their muscle forces to compensate their knee instability.
