The relationship between grading and instrumented measurements of anterior knee joint laxity.

Context: The relationship between clinical judgments of anterior knee laxity and instrumented measurement of anterior tibial translation is unclear.
Objective: To examine the relationship between certified athletic trainers'grading of anterior knee laxity and instrumented measurements of anterior tibial translation.
Design: Randomized, blinded, clinical assessment.
Setting: Laboratory.
Participants: Model patients receiving evaluation of anterior knee laxity.
Intervention: Twelve model patients were evaluated using a MEDmetric KT1000 knee ligament Arthrometer to establish instrumented measurements of anterior translation values at the tibio-femoral joint. Twenty-two certified athletic trainers were provided with operational definitions of potential laxity grades and examined the model patients to make judgments of anterior knee laxity.
Main Outcome Measures: Correlation between clinical judgments and instrumented measurements of anterior tibial translation.
Results: Clinical judgments and instrumented measurements were mutually independent.
Conclusions: Anterior tibial translation grading by certified athletic trainers should be interpreted with caution during clinical decision-making.