Laxity of knee cruciate ligaments during pregnancy. 1997

G A Dumas, and J G Reid
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

Pregnancy-related increase in ligament laxity may cause joint instability. The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) to assess knee laxity changes during pregnancy and 2) to evaluate the effect of exercise on knee laxity due to a typical prenatal fitness program. The subjects were healthy pregnant women. One group (N = 27) participated in exercise classes designed according to national guidelines. The second group (N = 38) was more sedentary. A clinical arthrometer, KT-1000, was used, and anterior and posterior drawer tests were performed. The results were added and averaged for the two knees. Laxity was constant in the second half of pregnancy and had significantly decreased by 14% 4 months after birth. No influence of parity or exercise was detected. The exercise program employing minimal to moderate weight bearing did not result in any measurable increases in knee laxity and, therefore, appears to be appropriate with regard to knee stability. These results should not, however, be extended to different types of exercise programs without additional research.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007593 Joint Instability Lack of stability of a joint or joint prosthesis. Hypermobility, Joint,Instability, Joint,Laxity, Joint,Hypermobilities, Joint,Instabilities, Joint,Joint Hypermobilities,Joint Hypermobility,Joint Instabilities,Joint Laxities,Joint Laxity,Laxities, Joint
D011247 Pregnancy The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH. Gestation,Pregnancies
D011248 Pregnancy Complications Conditions or pathological processes associated with pregnancy. They can occur during or after pregnancy, and range from minor discomforts to serious diseases that require medical interventions. They include diseases in pregnant females, and pregnancies in females with diseases. Adverse Birth Outcomes,Complications, Pregnancy,Adverse Birth Outcome,Birth Outcome, Adverse,Complication, Pregnancy,Outcome, Adverse Birth,Pregnancy Complication
D005260 Female Females
D005865 Gestational Age The age of the conceptus, beginning from the time of FERTILIZATION. In clinical obstetrics, the gestational age is often estimated from the onset of the last MENSTRUATION which is about 2 weeks before OVULATION and fertilization. It is also estimated to begin from fertilization, estrus, coitus, or artificial insemination. Embryologic Age,Fetal Maturity, Chronologic,Chronologic Fetal Maturity,Fetal Age,Maturity, Chronologic Fetal,Age, Embryologic,Age, Fetal,Age, Gestational,Ages, Embryologic,Ages, Fetal,Ages, Gestational,Embryologic Ages,Fetal Ages,Gestational Ages
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D015430 Weight Gain Increase in BODY WEIGHT over existing weight. Gain, Weight,Gains, Weight,Weight Gains
D015444 Exercise Physical activity which is usually regular and done with the intention of improving or maintaining PHYSICAL FITNESS or HEALTH. Contrast with PHYSICAL EXERTION which is concerned largely with the physiologic and metabolic response to energy expenditure. Aerobic Exercise,Exercise, Aerobic,Exercise, Isometric,Exercise, Physical,Isometric Exercise,Physical Activity,Acute Exercise,Exercise Training,Activities, Physical,Activity, Physical,Acute Exercises,Aerobic Exercises,Exercise Trainings,Exercise, Acute,Exercises,Exercises, Acute,Exercises, Aerobic,Exercises, Isometric,Exercises, Physical,Isometric Exercises,Physical Activities,Physical Exercise,Physical Exercises,Training, Exercise,Trainings, Exercise
D016118 Anterior Cruciate Ligament A strong ligament of the knee that originates from the posteromedial portion of the lateral condyle of the femur, passes anteriorly and inferiorly between the condyles, and attaches to the depression in front of the intercondylar eminence of the tibia. Cruciate Ligament, Anterior,Anterior Cranial Cruciate Ligament,Cranial Cruciate Ligament,Anterior Cruciate Ligaments,Cranial Cruciate Ligaments,Cruciate Ligament, Cranial,Cruciate Ligaments, Anterior,Cruciate Ligaments, Cranial,Ligament, Anterior Cruciate,Ligament, Cranial Cruciate,Ligaments, Anterior Cruciate,Ligaments, Cranial Cruciate

Related Publications

G A Dumas, and J G Reid
January 1972, Revue de chirurgie orthopedique et reparatrice de l'appareil moteur,
G A Dumas, and J G Reid
February 2005, Computer methods in biomechanics and biomedical engineering,
G A Dumas, and J G Reid
April 2006, The Journal of bone and joint surgery. British volume,
G A Dumas, and J G Reid
January 1998, Arthroscopy : the journal of arthroscopic & related surgery : official publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association,
G A Dumas, and J G Reid
January 1989, International orthopaedics,
G A Dumas, and J G Reid
January 1975, Vestnik rentgenologii i radiologii,
G A Dumas, and J G Reid
January 2016, American journal of orthopedics (Belle Mead, N.J.),
G A Dumas, and J G Reid
October 1983, Zhonghua wai ke za zhi [Chinese journal of surgery],
G A Dumas, and J G Reid
January 1974, The Journal of sports medicine,
Copied contents to your clipboard!