Biomechanical Differences in Knee Valgus Angles in Collegiate Female Athletes Participating in Different Sports

Background: Dynamic knee valgum is a major risk factor in ligamentous injuries of the knee. Different sports have higher rates of knee ligament injury than others and females experience knee non-contact ligament injuries at higher rates than their male counterparts. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the lower extremity biomechanics of genu valgum in female collegiate athletes of various sports while performing a drop jump test. This information may provide those designing individualized prevention programs assistance in reducing risk of knee ligamentous injury during jumping tasks. Methods: Current members of Idaho State University’s women’s basketball, soccer, and softball teams were evaluated for this study. Thirty-seven athletes participated. Motion capture reflective markers were placed bilaterally on the lower extremities to allow for analysis of knee biomechanics during a double-leg drop jump test. The angles of knee valgum in the frontal plane were calculated and analyzed between sport groups. Results: Female athletes of different sports displayed statistically significant differences in knee angles for both right, and left knees. Post hoc analysis with a Bonferroni adjustment revealed that basketball players utilized a more valgus right knee angle compared to both soccer and softball players and a more varus left knee angle compared with softball players. Conclusions: Our study suggests that collegiate-level female basketball players have an increased risk of right leg non-contact knee ligament injury during jump landing maneuvers when compared to collegiate level softball and soccer players due to increased knee valgus movements during the drop jump test. Collegiate-level female basketball players may benefit from biomechanical exercise interventions designed to decrease right knee valgus moments in jumping and landing to decrease their risk of injury.

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Knee Valgus during Drop Jumps in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Female Athletes

The American Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1177/0363546507308362 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 36 (2) ◽

pp. 285-289 ◽

Cited By ~ 47

Author(s):

Michael Joseph ◽

David Tiberio ◽

Jennifer L. Baird ◽

Thomas H. Trojian ◽

Jeffrey M. Anderson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽

Female Athletes ◽

Cruciate Ligament ◽

Division I ◽

Ligament Injury ◽

Initial Contact ◽

Knee Valgus ◽

Drop Jump ◽

Maximum Angle ◽

Anterior Cruciate

Background Female athletes land from a jump with greater knee valgus and ankle pronation/eversion. Excessive valgus and pronation have been linked to risk of anterior cruciate ligament injury. A medially posted orthosis decreases component motions of knee valgus such as foot pronation/eversion and tibial internal rotation. Hypothesis We hypothesized a medial post would decrease knee valgus and ankle pronation/eversion during drop-jump landings in NCAA-I female athletes. Study Design Controlled laboratory study. Methods Knee and ankle 3-dimensional kinematics were measured using high-speed motion capture in 10 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I female athletes during a drop-jump landing with and without a medial post. Analysis of variance was used to determine differences in posting condition, t tests were used to determine dominant-nondominant differences, and the Pearson correlation coefficient was used to determine relationships between variables. Results Significant differences were found for all measures in the posted condition. A medial post decreased knee valgus at initial contact (1.24°, P< .01) and maximum angle (1.21 °, P< .01). The post also decreased ankle pronation/eversion at initial contact (0.77°, P < .01) and maximum angle (0.95°, P = .039). Conclusion The authors have demonstrated a significant decrease in knee valgus and ankle pronation/eversion during a drop jump with a medial post placed in the athletes’ shoes. Clinical Relevance A medial post may be a potential means to decrease risk of anterior cruciate ligament injury.

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Estimation of Knee Ligament Injury Measures for a Pedestrian Dummy

SAE International Journal of Passenger Cars - Mechanical Systems ◽

10.4271/2009-01-1212 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 1116-1124 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Yukou Takahashi ◽

Masayoshi Okamoto ◽

Akihiko Akiyama ◽

Yuji Kikuchi

Keyword(s):

Ligament Injury ◽

Knee Ligament ◽

Knee Ligament Injury

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Hypermobility syndrome and proprioception in patients with knee ligament injury

Eastern Journal Of Medicine ◽

10.5505/ejm.2019.14227 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 24 (1) ◽

pp. 38-41

Author(s):

Aslıhan Uzunkulaoğlu ◽

Nuri Çetin

Keyword(s):

Ligament Injury ◽

Hypermobility Syndrome ◽

Knee Ligament ◽

Knee Ligament Injury

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Lack of Effect of a Knee Ligament Injury Prevention Program on the Incidence of Noncontact Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury

The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American) ◽

10.2106/jbjs.e.00616 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 88 (8) ◽

pp. 1769-1774 ◽

Cited By ~ 127

Author(s):

Ronald P. Pfeiffer ◽

Kevin G. Shea ◽

Dana Roberts ◽

Sara Grandstrand ◽

Laura Bond

Keyword(s):

Anterior Cruciate Ligament ◽

Injury Prevention ◽

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury ◽

Prevention Program ◽

Cruciate Ligament ◽

Ligament Injury ◽

Knee Ligament ◽

Knee Ligament Injury ◽

Injury Prevention Program ◽

Anterior Cruciate

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Effects of Different Combinations of Concentric and Eccentric Resistance Training Programs on Traditional and Alternative Hamstrings-to-Quadriceps Ratios

Sports ◽

10.3390/sports7100221 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (10) ◽

pp. 221 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Cassio V. Ruas ◽

Ronei S. Pinto ◽

Guy G. Haff ◽

Camila D. Lima ◽

Lee E. Brown

Keyword(s):

Resistance Training ◽

Injury Risk ◽

Muscle Activation ◽

Training Programs ◽

Knee Extension ◽

Muscle Size ◽

Ligament Injury ◽

Knee Ligament ◽

Knee Ligament Injury ◽

Muscle Balance

Resistance training is often recommended for combined increases in traditional and alternative hamstrings-to-quadriceps (H:Q) ratios in order to reduce knee strength imbalance and associated hamstrings and knee ligament injury risk. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different concentric and eccentric resistance training programs on traditional and alternative H:Q ratios. Forty male volunteers were assigned to one of 4 groups: concentric quadriceps and concentric hamstrings (CON/CON, n = 10), eccentric quadriceps and eccentric hamstrings (ECC/ECC, n = 10), concentric quadriceps and eccentric hamstrings (CON/ECC, n = 10), or no training (control (CNTRL), n = 10). Traditional conventional (CR) and functional (FR), alternative rate of torque development (RTD), muscle size (MS), and muscle activation (MA) H:Q ratios were measured before and after six weeks of unilateral nondominant knee extension–flexion resistance training performed on an isokinetic dynamometer. The ECC/ECC training significantly increased FR (pre = 0.75 ± 0.11; post = 0.85 ± 0.15), whereas the lack of training (CNTRL) decreased the RTD H:Q ratio (pre = 1.10 ± 0.67; post = 0.73 ± 0.33). There were no differences between groups for the other traditional and alternative ratios following resistance training protocols. These findings suggest eccentric exercise for quadriceps and hamstrings as the most beneficial training program for inducing increases in the traditional FR. However, different resistance training strategies may be needed to also elicit increases in the alternative RTD, MS, and MA H:Q ratios for fully restoring muscle balance and reducing potential hamstrings and knee ligament injury risk.

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