Reliability of the Manual Maximal Displacement Test and Quadriceps Active Test with KT-1000 TM Arthrometer in the assessment of Posterior Instability of the Knee

ABSTRACT

Authors measured the degree of posterior instability of the knee in 21 patitients who had posterior cruciate ligament(PCL) injury or have been reconstructed the PCL by using the manual maximal displacement test and quadriceps active test with KT-1000 arthrometer. To compare the reliability between the manual maximal displacement test and the quadriceps active test, two testers participated in the experiment. One tester was a novice and the other tester had substantial clinical experiences with the KT-1000 arthrometer. The quadriceps neutra! Angle was measured in the uninjured knee, and then quadriceps active test was done. Manual maximal displacement test and Quadriceps active test were done by each tester. In manual maximal displacement test, the Pearson correlation coefficient of the uninjured knee between two testers was 0.852 and that of PCL injured knee between two testers was 0.802. In quadriceps achive test, the Pearson correlation coefficient between two testers was 0.173. As a result, the manual maximal displacement test was more reliable for th measurement of the degree of the posterior instability in patients with posterior cruciate ligament tear or reccnstruction.