The objective of the study was to evaluate the clinical, functional, and biomechanical symptoms in patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture before and after ACL reconstruction. The study enrolled 20 patients and 20 healthy subjects as controls. Walking biomechanics was assessed at three time points: before surgery and three months and a year or more after surgical reconstruction. Impact loads on both sides differed significantly from the respective values before surgery (p<0.05). Walking cycle duration decreased with time after surgery. On both sides (affected and unaffected), hip movement amplitudes were significantly smaller than in control (p<0.05). They remained so in the follow-up periods after the reconstruction. Before ACL reconstruction, the amplitude of the main flexion of the knee was significantly reduced both on the affected and unaffected sides. The amplitude gradually increased after the reconstruction, and a year post-surgery, it reached, on the operated side, the same values as in the control group. Complete functional recovery of the knee joint was not achieved within a year after the ACL surgical reconstruction. The remaining changes, however, were not clinically pronounced and could only be detected by instrumental gait analysis. The compensatory processes developed bilaterally, in both the hip and knee joints.

Background: Currently available studies on the long-term functional outcomes of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction have yielded conflicting results. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical characteristics of walking in the long term after ACL reconstruction. Methods: The study included a test group of 18 patients (3.4 years from the date of ACL reconstruction on average) and a control group of 20 healthy subjects. Their gaits were assessed using functional tests at voluntary walking and fast-walking speeds. The biomechanical assessments utilized included spatiotemporal and kinematic parameters of walking, as well as surface electromyography (EMG) amplitudes of the main flexor-extensor muscles of the lower extremities. Results: Fast-walking speeds and the clearances of the operated-upon limbs in the patient group exceeded those in the control group. The gait cycle in the patient group was significantly longer when walking at a voluntary speed compared to the control group. In the patient group, most of the movements were symmetrical at both speeds, and the parameters did not differ from the control group. The only exception was the hip joint amplitude and the main amplitude of the knee joint flexion, which significantly and simultaneously increased when walking at a fast speed. Conclusions: In the postoperative period, at voluntary speeds, the patient group was characterized by increased amplitudes in the hip and knee joints and higher EMG amplitudes, which almost disappeared at higher speeds.

Целью данной работы является изучение движений в коленном суставе во время ходьбы до и после оперативного восстановления передней крестообразной связки (ПКС) для определения развивающихся функциональных нарушений. Материал и методы. Изучены временные, кинематические и динамические параметры походки у 34 пациентов с верифицированным разрывом ПКС, в том числе у 11 пациентов до хирургического лечения (первая группа) и у 23 – после его выполнения (вторая группа). Исследование пациентов первой группы проводилось в сроки от 1 недели до 6 лет (среднее значение 18 месяцев), во второй группе – от 1,5 месяцев до 5,5 лет (среднее значение 13 месяцев). Пациентам второй группы выполнялась стандартная артроскопическая анатомическая реконструкция ПКС аутотрансплантатом из сухожилий полусухожильной и нежной мышц. Исследование биомеханики походки проводили с помощью безплатформенных инерционных сенсоров, которые регистрируют углы поворота в пространстве. Регистрировали временные характеристики цикла шага, движения в тазобедренных и коленных суставах в трех взаимноперпендикулярных плоскостях, ударные нагрузки при ходьбе. Результаты. Временные характеристики цикла шага в группах до и после оперативного лечения имели нормативные значения как на здоровой, так и на пораженной сторонах. Движения в тазобедренных и коленных суставах были в пределах нормы, достоверные отличия в одноимённых показателях для каждой конечности не обнаружены. Ударные нагрузки при ходьбе находились в пределах 1,6 g и были симметричны с обеих сторон. Их динамика в группе пациентов после оперативного лечения отсутствовала. Результаты исследования не выявили специфичных для повреждения ПКС функциональных расстройств при произвольной ходьбе по ровной поверхности как при сравнении с нормой, так и со здоровой конечностью. Однако обнаружена тенденция к увеличению амплитуды движений в коленном суставе после восстановления ПКС. Полученные отличия не достигают уровня достоверности. Выводы. В первой группе больных с разрывом ПКС не обнаружено специфичных функциональных симптомов нестабильности коленного сустава в условиях обычной функциональной активности. Это означает, что, с одной стороны, повреждение ПКС в этих условиях себя не проявляет, с другой, что при ходьбе по ровной поверхности в произвольном темпе нестабильность коленного сустава не развивается. Данный результат даёт основания к ревизии самого понятия «нестабильность коленного сустава».

BACKGROUND: In patients with osteoarthritis, the long course of synovitis changes the nature of the inflammatory process, it becomes more resistant and resistant to a number of therapeutic techniques. In the arsenal of a practicing doctor, there are no reliable and affordable therapeutic methods that reliably provide relief of synovitis in the knee joint and objectively monitor the effectiveness of the therapy. Among the numerous methods of application in the treatment of diseases and injuries of the musculoskeletal system, low-molecular technologies with anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects are distinguished. One of these methods is local deep hypothermia. AIM: To substantiate the use of different low-temperature modes of local deep hypothermia in patients with knee osteoarthritis aggravated by synovitis, to study clinical efficacy and safety. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 90 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee joints, burdened with synovitis. To determine the therapeutic parameters of local deep hypothermia, all patients were divided into three groups of 30 people. The effectiveness of the performed local deep hypothermia was assessed by the dynamics of the algofunctional Leken index, the intensity of joint pain on a 100-point Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) in millimeters and a decrease in the need for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). RESULTS: Technical and clinical parameters have been developed for carrying out the local deep hypothermia technique: area, cooling depth, rate of heat removal from the joint, duration of reproduction and number of procedures. Against the background of the performed local deep hypothermia, patients in three groups showed significant positive dynamics on the VAS and algofunctional Leken index, and in all three groups the difference between the initial and final values of these parameters was statistically significant (p 0.001). The use of local deep hypothermia allowed a significant part of patients to refuse to take NSAIDs, or to reduce the need to 50 mg and take episodically according to need. In our study, we did not record a recurrence of synovitis in all three groups during the first 3 months, which was 100%. After 12 months, the duration of remission in group I was 10.0%, in group II patients 73.3% and in group III patients 86.6%. CONCLUSION: Local deep hypothermia improves the effectiveness of synovitis treatment and can be recommended as an independent method for the treatment of patients with osteoarthritis of the knee aggravated by synovitis. The recommended local deep hypothermia exposure is 90 min, which allows for the longest period of remission of synovitis in the knee joint.

Background.Severe fractures of the shin bones are often accompanied by the formation of defects in the tibia, suppuration and soft tissue necrosis. In the case of surgical treatment of fractures, infectious complications reach 3.6-9.1%. One of the methods of treatment of infected defects is resection of the ends of the tibia with shortening. This operation has proven to be effective in the treatment of fresh fractures. The relevance of the work is due to the prospects of using this technique in the treatment of the consequences of fractures with the formation of infected defects of the tibia.Aim of the study. Improving the results of treatment of patients with post-traumatic defects of the tibia complicated by osteomyelitis by performing a shortening resection with simultaneous or sequential correction of the segment length.Material and methods.The results of treatment of 65 patients with diaphyseal post-traumatic tibial defects complicated by osteomyelitis were analysed. They were divided into 2 groups. Group 1 was formed by 31 (47.7%) patients, they underwent shortening resection of the ends of bone fragments in the defect zone with simultaneous lengthening at another level. Group 2 included 34 (52.3%) patients who underwent a shortening resection of the tibia without lengthening. In all cases, the Ilizarov apparatus was used as a fixator.Results.The technique for assessing the size of the true defect of the tibia was optimized taking into account the initial shortening of the segment and the distance between the proximal and distal fragments after resection of their ends. A treatment regimen was developed depending on the level of localization of the tibial defect, and the results of treatment of patients in the compared groups were assessed.Conclusion.Shortening resection is an effective treatment for patients with post-traumatic tibial defects complicated by osteomyelitis. Depending on the level of localization of the defect, it is advisable to carry out treatment according to one of two possible options. When the defect is localized in the upper and middle third of the tibia, shortening resection in an isolated form is shown. If the defect is localized in the lower third of the tibia, it is possible to supplement the shortening resection with an osteotomy in the upper third with Ilizarov lengthening.

The goal of this research was to investigate functional and biomechanical symptoms in patients with chondromalacia patella. Material and Methods — Gait biomechanics was assessed in 35 patients with diagnosed unilateral chondromalacia patella and in 20 healthy adult controls. We recorded hip and knee movements, impact loads and temporal characteristics of the gait cycle (GC) during self-paced walking. Results — The temporal characteristics of gait and the impact loads remained normal in the patient population. Hip flexion amplitude decreased both on the affected (p=0.002) vs. unaffected (p=0.016) sides, compared to healthy control, whereas the amplitude phase increased on the affected (p=0.012) vs. unaffected (p=0.001) sides, versus healthy control. Hip extension and adduction-abduction amplitudes did not change significantly. Stance-phase and swing-phase knee flexion amplitudes did not change significantly. Knee extension amplitude on the affected limb increased (p=0.015), and knee rotation on the unaffected limb decreased versus control (p=0.016). The so-called stairstep symptom defined in the study was found in 83% of patients: in 23 patients bilaterally and in 6 patients unilaterally. Conclusion — Chondromalacia patella affected the gait biomechanics on both sides. The changes in the kinematic patterns during the flat-surface walking were not substantial. The only pathognomonic functional symptom of the condition was the stairstep symptom.