Association between generalized joint laxity and knee joint movement in female university students.
Shinichiro Oka, Shiori Kawano, Takeyoshi Shimoda and 2 others
PMID 35221516WHAT IT FOUND
Healthy young women with generalized joint laxity showed faster tibial rotation during knee extension than those without.
The difference was small and found in only 21 participants during a simple seated task, so it does not yet predict injury risk or guide clinical decisions.
Key findings
01Women with generalized joint laxity had faster X-axis angular velocity (median 13.3°/sec) than those without (6.2°/sec) during knee extension.
02Beighton scores correlated with X-axis angular velocity (r=0.485, p=0.026), but no other movement parameters showed significant differences or correlations.
03The study measured knee movement in an open kinetic chain during seated extension, not during functional or sports activities.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only 21 participants were studied, which is too few to draw firm conclusions about a population. The task was a simple seated knee extension in an open kinetic chain, which does not mimic the complex movements of sports or daily life where ACL injuries occur. The study included only healthy young female students, so the results may not apply to men, older adults, or people with existing knee problems. The researchers did not blind the analysis, and the primary outcome was not pre-registered, which increases the risk that the significant finding is a chance result.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the faster tibial rotation in women with joint laxity as a proven risk factor for ACL injury or a diagnostic marker. The study was very small, the task was non-functional, and the authors themselves state this is a preliminary finding that needs testing during actual sports activities.