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Alterations to movement mechanics can greatly reduce anterior cruciate ligament loading without reducing performance.

Summary

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are one of the most common and potentially debilitating sports injuries. Approximately 70% of ACL injuries occur without contact and are believed to be preventable. Jump stop movements are associated with many non-contact ACL injuries. It was hypothesized that an athlete performing a jump stop movement can reduce their peak tibial shear force (PTSF), a measure of ACL loading, without compromising performance, by modifying their knee flexion angle, shank angle, and foot contact location during landing. PTSF was calculated for fourteen female basketball players performing jump stops using their normal mechanics and mechanics modified to increase their knee flexion angle, decrease their shank angle relative to vertical and land more on their toes during landing. Every subject tested experienced drastic reductions in their PTSF (average reduction=56.4%) using modified movement mechanics. The athletes maintained or improved their jump height with the modified movement mechanics (an average increase in jump height of 2.5cm). The hypothesis was supported: modifications to jump stop movement mechanics greatly reduced PTSF and therefore ACL loading without compromising performance. The results from this study identify crucial biomechanical quantities that athletes can easily modify to reduce ACL loading and therefore should be targeted in any physical activity training programs designed to reduce non-contact ACL injuries.

Affiliation

Exercise Science Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States; Human Performance Laboratory, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States.

Journal Details

Name: Journal of biomechanics
ISSN: 1873-2380
Pages:

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MESH Definitions

Anterior Cruciate Ligament

A strong ligament of the knee that originates from the posteromedial portion of the lateral condyle of the femur, passes anteriorly and inferiorly between the condyles, and attaches to the depression in front of the intercondylar eminence of the tibia.

Posterior Cruciate Ligament

A strong ligament of the knee that originates from the anterolateral surface of the medial condyle of the femur, passes posteriorly and inferiorly between the condyles, and attaches to the posterior intercondylar area of the tibia.

Lateral Ligament, Ankle

There are two lateral ligaments of the ankle - internal and external. The internal lateral ligament is attached to the apex and anterior and posterior bodies of the inner malleolus and inserted into the navicular bone, the inferior calcaneo-navicular ligament, the sustentaculum tali of the os calcis, and the inner side of the astragalus. The external lateral ligament, also called the lateral collateral ligament, consists of three distinct fasciculi - the calcaneofibular, the anterior talofibular, and the posterior talofibular.

Arthrometry, Articular

Measurements of joint flexibility (RANGE OF MOTION, ARTICULAR), usually by employing an angle-measuring device (arthrometer). Arthrometry is used to measure ligamentous laxity and stability. It is often used to evaluate the outcome of ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT replacement surgery.

Bone-patellar Tendon-bone Graft

Fixation of the ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT, during surgical reconstruction, by the use of a bone- patellar tendon autograft.

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