Abstract
Dynamic knee valgus (DKV) malalignment affects the biomechanical characteristic during sports activities. This cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate mechanical energy absorption (MEA) strategies at initial contact (IC) and total landing (TL) phases during single-leg landing (SLL), and double-leg landing (DLL). Twenty-eight female athletes with DKV (age 10–14) were invited. MEA analysis of lower extremity joints was done in sagittal and frontal motion planes employing 8 Vicon motion capture cameras and 2 Kistler force plates. Statistical analysis was done using IBM Statistics (version24) by Bivariate Pearson Correlation Coefficient test. Knee extensors MEA during SLL (IC: P = 0.008, R = 0.522/TL: P < 0.001, R = 0.642) and DLL (IC: P < 0.001, R = 0.611/TL: P = 0.011, R = 0.525), and knee abductors during SLL (IC: P = 0.021, R = 0.474) were positively correlated with increased DKV angle. Ankle plantar flexors during SLL (TL: P = 0.017, R = − 0.477) and DLL (TL: P = 0.028, R = − 0.404), and hip extensors during SLL (TL: P = 0.006, R = − 0.5120) were negatively correlated with increased DKV angle. Compensated MEA in knee extensors was correlated with less ankle plantar flexion MEA during SLL (IC: P = 0.027, R = − 0.514/TL: P = 0.007, R = − 0.637) and DLL (IC: P = 0.033, R = − 00.412/TL: P = 0.025, R = − 0.485). These outcomes indicated a knee-reliant MEA strategy in female athletes with DKV during puberty, putting them at higher risks of ACL injuries during landing.
Highlights
Dynamic knee valgus (DKV) is known as a malalignment involving the lower extremity joints such as excessive abduction and or internal rotation in the knee joint, excessive adduction and internal rotation in the hip joint, limited range of ankle dorsiflexion, and foot pronation, more commonly observed in female athletes during sports activities[1,2,3,4]
Results of this study indicated a knee-dominant mechanical energy absorption (MEA) strategy in sagittal motion plane at initial contact (IC) and total landing (TL) phases during both landing tasks and in frontal motion plane at IC phase during single-leg landing (SLL) to be significantly correlated with increased DKV angle
In line with previous findings, results of this study showed greater knee extensors MEA at IC and TL during SLL and double-leg landing (DLL) tasks to be correlated with increased DKV a ngle[26,39]
Summary
Dynamic knee valgus (DKV) is known as a malalignment involving the lower extremity joints such as excessive abduction and or internal rotation in the knee joint, excessive adduction and internal rotation in the hip joint, limited range of ankle dorsiflexion, and foot pronation, more commonly observed in female athletes during sports activities[1,2,3,4]. Female athletes are reported to incline to develop greater DKV during the initial contact (IC) phase of a landing task, putting them at higher risks of Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury occurrence compared to their male c ounterparts[4]. A previous study reported differences in mechanical energy absorption (MEA) strategy when comparing SLL and DLL tasks in healthy adult males Based on their results, the major contributors to absorb mechanical energy during DLL were hip (at sagittal and frontal planes) and knee (at sagittal plane) joints, while knee (at sagittal and frontal planes) and ankle joints (at sagittal plane) had greater contribution during SLL task[20]. The purpose of the current study was to compare lower extremity MEA strategies in the sagittal and frontal motion planes at IC and TL phases of SLL and DLL tasks in female participants exhibiting DKV during puberty
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