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Medial Meniscus Posterior Root Repair Is Associated With Better Function But Persistent Knee Varus Thrust and Reduced Knee Internal Rotation During Gait

Arthroscopy The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery · 27 Aug 2026

Rigour34/100
Clinical46/100
Impact†53/100

† Impact is the editorial-priority score. All scores are out of 100. Clinical is a stored clinical-importance score from the earlier method; it has not been recalculated.

Why it matters

It suggests that even after successful MMPR repair with good clinical outcomes, patients may retain biomechanical gait abnormalities linked to knee osteoarthritis progression, which could inform decisions about adjunct gait-modifying therapy or earlier surgical timing.

The evidence

This cross-sectional study used 3D motion capture to compare gait mechanics and patient-reported outcomes among 58 knees: patients with unrepaired medial meniscus posterior root (MMPR) tears, patients who had undergone MMPR repair (mean 19.7 months prior), and healthy age-matched controls. Both the tear and repair groups showed abnormal gait patterns compared with controls, including increased varus thrust range of motion (repair 5.2° vs control 3.3°, tear 5.0° vs control 3.3°, P<.01) and reduced tibial internal rotation at loading response, but the repair group had significantly better function, less pain, and higher rates of meeting patient-acceptable symptom thresholds than the tear group.

Varus thrust ROM (initial contact to peak knee adduction): Mean difference 1.9 (95% CI unavailable; units not reported).

Why this rigour score?

Prospective cohortDesign starting point: 40

34/ 100

Raised the score

  • Consecutive enrolment+2.5

Lowered the score

  • Unadjusted comparison−6.8
  • A single centre's own patients−3.4

Methods at a glance

Recorded assessment
  • Confounding adjustmentUnadjusted only
  • Covariate balance confirmedNot reported
  • Outcome assessors blindedNot reported
  • Comparable start of follow-upNot applicable
  • Adequate statistical powerCalculation absent
  • Prospective registrationNot reported

Not reported does not mean not done. Checks have different weights; this is not a count of boxes ticked.

See the full score breakdown
Study design starting point
40
Unadjusted comparison
−6.8
A single centre's own patients
−3.4
Consecutive enrolment
+2.5
Journal prior (not an observed method)
+1.8
Final rigour score rounded
34 / 100

Study design sets the starting point and a ceiling of 82. Recorded methods then adjust the score. Points are shown to one decimal place; the final score uses unrounded values.

Checklist from the stored appraisal. “Not met” describes the recorded criterion; it does not always produce a deduction. This overview supports reading the full study.

For journal club

1.Should patients who show persistent varus thrust after MMPR repair be offered adjunct interventions like gait retraining, bracing, or targeted strengthening to reduce their risk of knee OA progression?

2.Does the finding that repaired knees still show abnormal internal rotation and varus thrust argue for earlier repair timing in symptomatic root tears, before compensatory gait patterns become entrenched?

Original publication title

Medial Meniscus Posterior Root Repair Is Associated With Better Function But Persistent Knee Varus Thrust and Reduced Knee Internal Rotation During Gait

Read original paper