Journal of Clinical & Experimental Orthopaedics

Differential Tibial Slope Ratio–A New Risk Factor for ACL Injury

Objective: One of the most often researched modifiable risk factors for ACL damage is an increased posterior tibial slope. One important risk factor that has already been identified is an elevated lateral tibial slope. We believe that an internal torque that puts more strain on the ACL could be caused by the discrepancy in the medial and lateral tibial slopes. If so, one of the main risk factors for ACL injury should be the differential tibial slope ratio as measured here. ACL screening programs and individually tailored rehabilitation following reconstruction procedures will benefit from a better understanding of the distinction between the medial and lateral tibial slopes and how they affect ACL injury. We examined the relationship between ACL injury and the medial and lateral posterior tibial slopes as well as the differential tibial slope ratio. To the best of our knowledge, there are no publications up to date looking at differential tibial slope ratio in ACL injury.

Methods: An MRI-based measurement was taken by an already described method in the literature. After analysing the medial and lateral tibial slopes, the differential tibial slope ratio was computed.

Results: Patients with ACL injuries had significantly higher medial and lateral tibial slopes as well as a higher differential slope ratio. Of the measured values, the differential tibial slope was the least significant and the lateral tibial slope was the most significant.

Conclusion: When comparing the medial tibial slope and differential tibial slope ratio, the lateral tibial slope is the most significant of the three measured values.

Author(s): Surekh Ravi*

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