There are few studies that have compared between continuous flexion activities and extension activities of normal knees. The purpose of this study is to compare in vivo kinematic comparison of normal knees between flexion activities and extension activities. Total of 8 normal male knees were investigated. We evaluated in vivo three-dimensional kinematics using 2D/3D registration technique. We compared femoral rotation angle relative to tibia, anterior/posterior (AP) translation of medial femoral sulcus (medial side) and lateral femoral epicondyle (lateral side) onto tibial plane perpendicular to tibial functional axis between flexion activities (F groups) and extension activities (E groups). Femoral external rotation was observed with the knee bending during both groups. The external rotation angle of F group was larger than that of E group significantly from 20 to 30 degrees with flexion (p < 0.05). Regarding medial side, anterior translation was observed up to 40 degrees in F group. From 40 to 140 degrees, posterior translation was observed. In E group, anterior translation was observed from 140 to 40 degrees with extension. From 40 degrees, posterior translation was observed. From 30 to 40 degrees, F group located anterior than E group (p < 0.05). Regarding lateral side, posterior translation was observed with flexion in F group. On the other hand, anterior translation was observed with extension in E group. Regarding AP location with flexion angle, there was no significant difference between two groups. In conclusion, there were different kinematics between flexion activities and extension activities

In order to evaluate the relationship between acetabular and proximal femoral alignment in the initiation and evolution of osteoarthritis of the dysplastic hip, the acetabular and femoral angles were calculated geometrically from radiographs of 62 patients with pre-arthrosis and early osteoarthritis. The sum of the lateral opening angle of the acetabulum and the neck-shaft angle was defined as the lateral instability index (LII), and the sum of the anterior opening angle of the acetabulum and the anteversion angle of the femoral neck as the anterior instability index (AII). These two indices were compared in dysplastic and unaffected hips. A total of 22 unilateral hips with pre-arthrosis were followed for at least 15 years to determine whether the two indices were associated with the progression of osteoarthritis.

The LII of the affected hips (197.4 (sd 6.0)) was significantly greater than that of the unaffected hips (1830 (sd 6.9)). A follow-up study of 22 hips with pre-arthrosis showed that only the LII was associated with progression of the disease, and an LII of 196 was the threshold value for this progression.