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The mechanical role of the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments in the passive and functional stability of the knee joint has been well documented. Both these knee joint ligaments contain Ruffini, Pacinian, Golgi and free nerve endings with different capabilities of providing the central nervous system with information regarding movement and position as well as chemical events. The posterior cruciate ligament provides 95% of the restraining force to a posterior tibial displacement, is significantly stronger than the other knee ligaments, and sensory nerve endings are located in the tibia and femoral bone insertions. This report aims to review the anatomy and physiology of the various mechanoreceptors of the posterior cruciate ligament, placing special emphasis on their role in knee joint stability. It concludes that the posterior crude ligament may not only serve as a 'mechanical stabilizer' of the knee joint, but also probably has an important 'sensory function' that should be taken into account when dealing with injuries to it.

In 134 deltoid preparations taken from 67 fresh cadavers we examined the position of the axillary nerve in relation to the upper border of the muscle. The vertical distances from the upper deltoid border to the nerve in 17 of 67 cadavers was less than 4 cm in both shoulders. The minimal distance, measured from the mid-middle portion of the deltoid to the axillary nerve, was 2 cm. There was a significant negative correlation between the deltoid ratio (width/length) and the vertical distance, measured in all examined sites. The shorter the deltoid length the greater the danger of damaging the nerve in the short distance during surgical splitting of the muscle.

We studied endogenic factors for the occurrence of cervical hip fractures in 256 patients. 230 underwent hemiarthroplasty, and 26 were treated with internal fixation or without surgery. The condition of the fractured hip and of the ipsilateral knee, as well as the mobility of the patient before the fracture, were studied in all 256 patients. The removed femoral heads were examined, photographed and radiographs were taken with sensitive film. The acetabulum and the femoral head were macroscopically normal in all 230 cases and there was no radiographic evidence of arthrosis. 64% of the patients were fully mobile before the fracture, 34% were mobile with the aid of a cane and 2% were dependent. In 88%, the ipsilateral knee was normal both clinically and radiographically, and in 12%, there was moderate arthrosis. When comparing the mobility before the fracture and the condition of the ipsilateral hip and knee in 100 patients having a cervical fracture with 100 patients having a trochanteric fracture matched for age and sex, we found that a normal hip joint was sine qua non while a normal ipsilateral knee and a fully mobile individual were important additional conditions for the occurrence of a cervical hip fracture, instead of a trochanteric one, after a fall in an elderly person.

The broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) of the right calcaneus was measured in 49 women with Colles' fracture, in 36 women with hip fracture, and in 77 normal women. All were postmenopausal, and the fractures were all of fragility type. BUA correlated with age only in the normals. BUA distinguished between the fracture cases with sensitivities of 97 percent and 70 percent and specificities of 72 percent and 92 percent at 61 dB/MHz and 51 dB/MHz, respectively. The women with hip fracture had lower BUA than those with Colles' fracture. For screening purposes, BUA below 51 dB/MHz may arouse suspicion of a fracture risk, notably if other factors such as a tendency to fall, dietary and other habits, inactive lifestyles and early menopause are present.