Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Anatomy logoLink to Journal of Anatomy
. 1995 Oct;187(Pt 2):461–471.

The fibre bundle anatomy of human cruciate ligaments.

T J Mommersteeg 1, J G Kooloos 1, L Blankevoort 1, J M Kauer 1, R Huiskes 1, F Q Roeling 1
PMCID: PMC1167440  PMID: 7592008

Abstract

The cruciate ligaments of the knee consist of numerous fascicles, groups of which comprise fibre bundles. The stabilising function of these ligaments is established by changes in the lengths and orientations of the fascicles. Understanding the function of knee ligaments thus requires an understanding of their 3-dimensional fascicle architecture. Hitherto, the cruciate ligaments have been considered functionally as single-dimensional 'ropes' or, at the most, as consisting of anterior and posterior parts. It is evident from the appearance of these ligamentous structures, however, that fascicles in more than 2 directions are present. This study investigated how many and which fibre bundles are minimally needed to preserve the main fascicle directions in the ligaments. An anatomical analysis of the cruciate ligaments was performed using a 3-dimensional measuring device. Three anterior and 3 posterior cruciate ligaments were isolated and their fascicles measures. Based on the courses of the fascicles, fibre bundles were defined, dissected bluntly, and their corresponding insertion sites measured. Finally, the insertion sites of the bundles were connected into straight-line representations by a computer and transformed to the anatomical position of the knee, so as to be useful for functional analyses of the ligaments. It was found that 6-10 bundles are sufficient to represent the main fascicle directions of the ligaments. Although the number of fibre bundles is not identical for all ligaments, the femur and the tibia are connected in a consistent way by these bundles. Even the ways in which the fibre bundles change their interrelationship from the femoral to the tibial insertion sites are comparable. The results serve as a detailed anatomical basis for functional analyses of the cruciate ligaments.

Full text

PDF

Images in this article

463Fig. 2
on p.463

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Amis A. A., Dawkins G. P. Functional anatomy of the anterior cruciate ligament. Fibre bundle actions related to ligament replacements and injuries. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1991 Mar;73(2):260–267. doi: 10.1302/0301-620X.73B2.2005151. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Blankevoort L., Huiskes R., de Lange A. Recruitment of knee joint ligaments. J Biomech Eng. 1991 Feb;113(1):94–103. doi: 10.1115/1.2894090. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Blankevoort L., Huiskes R., de Lange A. The envelope of passive knee joint motion. J Biomech. 1988;21(9):705–720. doi: 10.1016/0021-9290(88)90280-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Butler D. L. Kappa Delta Award paper. Anterior cruciate ligament: its normal response and replacement. J Orthop Res. 1989;7(6):910–921. doi: 10.1002/jor.1100070618. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Essinger J. R., Leyvraz P. F., Heegard J. H., Robertson D. D. A mathematical model for the evaluation of the behaviour during flexion of condylar-type knee prostheses. J Biomech. 1989;22(11-12):1229–1241. doi: 10.1016/0021-9290(89)90225-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Fuss F. K. Anatomy of the cruciate ligaments and their function in extension and flexion of the human knee joint. Am J Anat. 1989 Feb;184(2):165–176. doi: 10.1002/aja.1001840208. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Fuss F. K. The restraining function of the cruciate ligaments on hyperextension and hyperflexion of the human knee joint. Anat Rec. 1991 Jun;230(2):283–289. doi: 10.1002/ar.1092300217. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Girgis F. G., Marshall J. L., Monajem A. The cruciate ligaments of the knee joint. Anatomical, functional and experimental analysis. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1975 Jan-Feb;(106):216–231. doi: 10.1097/00003086-197501000-00033. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Hickey D. S., Hukins D. W. Effect of methods of preservation on the arrangement of collagen fibrils in connective tissue matrices: an x-ray diffraction study of annulus fibrosus. Connect Tissue Res. 1979;6(4):223–228. doi: 10.3109/03008207909152324. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Hirokawa S. Biomechanics of the knee joint: a critical review. Crit Rev Biomed Eng. 1993;21(2):79–135. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Hollis J. M., Takai S., Adams D. J., Horibe S., Woo S. L. The effects of knee motion and external loading on the length of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL): a kinematic study. J Biomech Eng. 1991 May;113(2):208–214. doi: 10.1115/1.2891236. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Norwood L. A., Cross M. J. Anterior cruciate ligament: functional anatomy of its bundles in rotatory instabilities. Am J Sports Med. 1979 Jan-Feb;7(1):23–26. doi: 10.1177/036354657900700106. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Odensten M., Gillquist J. Functional anatomy of the anterior cruciate ligament and a rationale for reconstruction. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1985 Feb;67(2):257–262. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Sidles J. A., Larson R. V., Garbini J. L., Downey D. J., Matsen F. A., 3rd Ligament length relationships in the moving knee. J Orthop Res. 1988;6(4):593–610. doi: 10.1002/jor.1100060418. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Trent P. S., Walker P. S., Wolf B. Ligament length patterns, strength, and rotational axes of the knee joint. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1976 Jun;(117):263–270. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Wang C. J., Walker P. S. The effects of flexion and rotation on the length patterns of the ligaments of the knee. J Biomech. 1973 Nov;6(6):587–596. doi: 10.1016/0021-9290(73)90016-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Welsh R. P. Knee joint structure and function. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1980 Mar-Apr;(147):7–14. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. de Lange A., Huiskes R., Kauer J. M. Measurement errors in roentgen-stereophotogrammetric joint-motion analysis. J Biomech. 1990;23(3):259–269. doi: 10.1016/0021-9290(90)90016-v. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Anatomy are provided here courtesy of Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland

RESOURCES