Abstract
Biomechanical movement screens are commonly used to identify potential risk factors contributing to a variety of musculoskeletal injuries. Such an approach is challenging for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries given the low incidence rate. However, resulting time loss from sport and poor long-term health outcomes justify the need to begin to use available data. A comprehensive assessment of lower extremity joint mechanics during running is a useful first step in exploring potential movement-related risk factors for ACL injuries. PURPOSE: To determine if healthy, baseline running mechanics differ between collegiate athletes who did and did not go on to suffer a primary ACL injury. METHODS: Whole body kinematics and ground reaction forces (GRF) during treadmill running were collected as part of pre-season performance testing. Thirteen division I collegiate athletes (6 female; 19.1 ± 1.1 years, 86.8 ± 17.0 kg, 1.79 ± 0.10 m) went on to suffer an ACL injury (PRE). HC (n = 13) were matched to PRE (6 female, 18.9 ± 1.0 years, 86.2 ± 17.1 kg, 1.79 ± 0.08 m, 4.2 ± 0.4 m/s and by sport). Multiple statistical parametric mapping (SPM) paired t-tests (α = 0.05) were used to explore differences between PRE and HC for vertical GRF, ankle, knee, and hip angles, moments, and powers during the stance phase of running for injured and uninjured limbs. HC were randomly assigned an injured limb. RESULTS: No significant difference were detected between PRE and HC athletes for any variable on either limb during the stance phase of running (all SPM{t} values < critical threshold t-values). Figure 1 depicts the SPM results for knee angles, moments, and powers of the injured limb. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-season screening of running biomechanics in collegiate athletes is unlikely to identify those at risk for sustaining an ACL injury. Screening higher risk movement patterns may reveal ACL injury risk factors. NIH award TL1TR002375.
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