High-Risk Lower-Extremity Biomechanics Evaluated in Simulated Soccer-Specific Virtual Environments

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 294-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher A. DiCesare ◽  
Adam W. Kiefer ◽  
Scott Bonnette ◽  
Gregory D. Myer
Keyword(s):  
Lower Extremity ◽  
Injury Risk ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Vertical Jump ◽  
Frontal Plane ◽  
Female Adolescent ◽  
Lower Extremity Injury ◽  
Skill Transfer ◽  
Targeted Interventions ◽  
Drop Vertical Jump

Context: Laboratory-based biomechanical analyses of sport-relevant movements such as landing and cutting have classically been used to quantify kinematic and kinetic factors in the context of injury risk, which are then used to inform targeted interventions designed to improve risky movement patterns during sport. However, the noncontextual nature of standard assessments presents challenges for assessing sport-relevant skill transfer. Objective: To examine injury-risk biomechanical differences exhibited by athletes during a jump-landing task performed as part of both a standard biomechanical assessment and a simulated, sport-specific virtual reality (VR)-based assessment. Design: Observational study. Setting: Medical center laboratory. Participants: Twenty-two female adolescent soccer athletes (age = 16.0 [1.4] y, height = 165.6 [4.9] cm, and weight = 60.2 [11.4] kg). Interventions: The landing performance was analyzed for a drop vertical jump task and a VR-based, soccer-specific corner-kick scenario in which the athletes were required to jump to head a virtual soccer ball and land. Main Outcome Measures: Hip, knee, and ankle joint kinematic differences in the frontal and sagittal planes. Results: Athletes exhibited reduced hip and ankle flexion, hip abduction, and frontal plane ankle excursion during landing in realistic sport scenario compared with the standard drop vertical jump task. Conclusion: VR-based assessments can provide a sport-specific context in which to assess biomechanical deficits that predispose athletes for lower-extremity injury and offer a promising approach to better evaluate skill transfer to sport that can guide future injury prevention efforts.

scholarly journals NEURAL ACTIVITY AND LANDING BIOMECHANICS: EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE BRAIN, BODY, AND ACL INJURY-RISK

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (7_suppl3) ◽  
pp. 2325967121S0015
Author(s):  
Cody R. Criss ◽  
Dustin R. Grooms ◽  
Jed A. Diekfuss ◽  
Manish Anand ◽  
Alexis B. Slutsky-Ganesh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neural Activity ◽  
Injury Risk ◽  
Neural Control ◽  
Motor Coordination ◽  
Cruciate Ligament ◽  
Vertical Jump ◽  
Frontal Plane ◽  
Peak Knee ◽  
Knee Abduction ◽  
Drop Vertical Jump

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries predominantly occur via non-contact mechanisms, secondary to motor coordination errors resulting in aberrant frontal plane knee loads that exceed the thresholds of ligament integrity. However, central nervous system processing underlying high injury-risk motor coordination errors remain unknown, limiting the optimization of current injury reduction strategies. Purpose: To evaluate the relationships between brain activity during motor tasks with injury-risk loading during a drop vertical jump. Methods: Thirty female high school soccer players (16.10 ± 0.87 years, 165.10 ± 4.64 cm, 63.43 ± 8.80 kg) were evaluated with 3D biomechanics during a standardized drop vertical jump from a 30 cm box and peak knee abduction moment was extracted as the injury-risk variable of interest. A neuroimaging session to capture neural activity (via blood-oxygen-level-dependent signal) was then completed which consisted of 4 blocks of 30 seconds of repeated bilateral leg press action paced to a metronome beat of 1.2 Hz with 30 seconds rest between blocks. Knee abduction moment was evaluated relative to neural activity to identify potential neural contributors to injury-risk. Results: There was a direct relationship between increased landing knee abduction moment and increased neural activation within regions corresponding to the lingual gyrus, intracalcarine cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, and precuneus (r2= 0.68, p corrected < .05, z max > 3.1; Table 1 & Figure 1). Conclusion: Elevated activity in regions that integrate sensory, spatial, and attentional information may contribute to elevated frontal plane knee loads during landing. Interestingly, a similar activation pattern related to high-risk landing mechanics has been found in those following injury, indicating that predisposing factors to injury may be accentuated by injury or that modern rehabilitation does not recover prospective neural control deficits. These data uncover a potentially novel brain marker that could guide the discovery of neural-therapeutic targets that reduce injury risk beyond current prevention methods. [Table: see text][Figure: see text]

scholarly journals Volitional Spine Stabilization During a Drop Vertical Jump From Different Landing Heights: Implications for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury

2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (12) ◽  
pp. 1003-1012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ram Haddas ◽  
Troy Hooper ◽  
C. Roger James ◽  
Phillip S. Sizer
Keyword(s):  
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ◽  
Lower Extremity ◽  
Injury Risk ◽  
Muscle Activation ◽  
Cruciate Ligament ◽  
Vertical Jump ◽  
Ligament Injury ◽  
Lower Extremity Muscle ◽  
Anterior Cruciate ◽  
Drop Vertical Jump

Context:Volitional preemptive abdominal contraction (VPAC) during dynamic activities may alter trunk motion, but the role of the core musculature in positioning the trunk during landing tasks is unclear.Objective:To determine whether volitional core-muscle activation incorporated during a drop vertical jump alters lower extremity kinematics and kinetics, as well as trunk and lower extremity muscle activity at different landing heights.Design:Controlled laboratory study.Setting:Clinical biomechanics laboratory.Patients or Other Participants:Thirty-two young healthy adults, consisting of 17 men (age = 25.24 ± 2.88 years, height = 1.85 ± 0.06 m, mass = 89.68 ± 16.80 kg) and 15 women (age = 23.93 ± 1.33 years, height = 1.67 ± 0.08 m, mass = 89.68 ± 5.28 kg).Intervention(s):Core-muscle activation using VPAC.Main Outcome Measure(s):We collected 3-dimensional ankle, knee, and hip motions, moments, and powers; ground reaction forces; and trunk and lower extremity muscle activity during 0.30- and 0.50-m drop vertical-jump landings.Results:During landing from a 0.30-m height, VPAC performance increased external oblique and semitendinosis activity, knee flexion, and knee internal rotation and decreased knee-abduction moment and knee-energy absorption. During the 0.50-m landing, the VPAC increased external oblique and semitendinosis activity, knee flexion, and hip flexion and decreased ankle inversion and hip-energy absorption.Conclusions:The VPAC performance during landing may protect the anterior cruciate ligament during different landing phases from different heights, creating a protective advantage just before ground contact and after the impact phase. Incorporating VPAC during high injury-risk activities may enhance pelvic stability, improve lower extremity positioning and sensorimotor control, and reduce anterior cruciate ligament injury risk while protecting the lumbar spine.

scholarly journals Association between frontal plane knee control and lower extremity injuries: a prospective study on young team sport athletes

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. e000311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anu M Räisänen ◽  
Kati Pasanen ◽  
Tron Krosshaug ◽  
Tommi Vasankari ◽  
Pekka Kannus ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lower Extremity ◽  
Injury Risk ◽  
Screening Tool ◽  
Characteristic Curve ◽  
Area Under The Curve ◽  
Frontal Plane ◽  
Ankle Injuries ◽  
Lower Extremity Injury ◽  
Lower Extremity Injuries ◽  
Extremity Injuries

Background/aimPoor frontal plane knee control can manifest as increased dynamic knee valgus during athletic tasks. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between frontal plane knee control and the risk of acute lower extremity injuries. In addition, we wanted to study if the single-leg squat (SLS) test can be used as a screening tool to identify athletes with an increased injury risk.MethodsA total of 306 basketball and floorball players participated in the baseline SLS test and a 12-month injury registration follow-up. Acute lower extremity time-loss injuries were registered. Frontal plane knee projection angles (FPKPA) during the SLS were calculated using a two-dimensional video analysis.ResultsAthletes displaying a high FPKPA were 2.7 times more likely to sustain a lower extremity injury (adjusted OR 2.67, 95% CI 1.23 to 5.83) and 2.4 times more likely to sustain an ankle injury (OR 2.37, 95% CI 1.13 to 4.98). There was no statistically significant association between FPKPA and knee injury (OR 1.49, 95% CI 0.56 to 3.98). The receiver operating characteristic curve analyses indicated poor combined sensitivity and specificity when FPKPA was used as a screening test for lower extremity injuries (area under the curve of 0.59) and ankle injuries (area under the curve of 0.58).ConclusionsAthletes displaying a large FPKPA in the SLS test had an elevated risk of acute lower extremity and ankle injuries. However, the SLS test is not sensitive and specific enough to be used as a screening tool for future injury risk.

Differentiating Successful and Unsuccessful Single-Leg Drop Landing Performance Using Uncontrolled Manifold Analysis

Motor Control ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-90
Author(s):  
Christopher A. DiCesare ◽  
Scott Bonnette ◽  
Gregory D. Myer ◽  
Adam W. Kiefer
Keyword(s):  
Task Performance ◽  
Injury Risk ◽  
Motor Coordination ◽  
Center Of Mass ◽  
Frontal Plane ◽  
Female Adolescent ◽  
Biomechanical Analysis ◽  
Uncontrolled Manifold ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Targeted Interventions

Biomechanical analysis can effectively identify factors associated with task performance and injury risk, but often does not account for the interaction among the components that underlie task execution. Uncontrolled manifold (UCM) analyses were applied to data from 38 female, adolescent athletes performing single-leg drop landings and were used to differentiate successful and unsuccessful task performance by examining the frontal plane joint variance within the UCM (VUCM) that stabilized the horizontal center of mass position (VUCM) and within the orthogonal subspace (VORT). The UCM revealed stronger coordination, indicated by the VUCM/VORT ratio, in the successful condition. This may inform future research examining reduced motor coordination in failed movement tasks and its relation to injury risk and allow for targeted interventions that consider coordination processes rather than joint-specific outcomes.

scholarly journals Relationship Between 2-Dimensional Frontal Plane Measures and the Knee Abduction Angle During the Drop Vertical Jump

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brad W. Willis ◽  
Katie Hocker ◽  
Swithin Razu ◽  
Aaron D. Gray ◽  
Marjorie Skubic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Motion Capture ◽  
Vertical Jump ◽  
Frontal Plane ◽  
Ligament Injury ◽  
Coefficient Of Determination ◽  
Abduction Angle ◽  
Initial Contact ◽  
Knee Abduction ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Drop Vertical Jump

Context: Knee abduction angle (KAA), as measured by 3-dimensional marker-based motion capture systems during jump-landing tasks, has been correlated with an elevated risk of anterior cruciate ligament injury in females. Due to the high cost and inefficiency of KAA measurement with marker-based motion capture, surrogate 2-dimensional frontal plane measures have gained attention for injury risk screening. The knee-to-ankle separation ratio (KASR) and medial knee position (MKP) have been suggested as potential frontal plane surrogate measures to the KAA, but investigations into their relationship to the KAA during a bilateral drop vertical jump task are limited. Objective: To investigate the relationship between KASR and MKP to the KAA during initial contact of the bilateral drop vertical jump. Design: Descriptive. Setting: Biomechanics laboratory. Participants: A total of 18 healthy female participants (mean age: 24.1 [3.88] y, mass: 65.18 [10.34] kg, and height: 1.63 [0.06] m). Intervention: Participants completed 5 successful drop vertical jump trials measured by a Vicon marker-based motion capture system and 2 AMTI force plates. Main Outcome Measure: For each jump, KAA of the tibia relative to the femur was measured at initial contact along with the KASR and MKP calculated from planar joint center data. The coefficient of determination (r2) was used to examine the relationship between the KASR and MKP to KAA. Results: A strong linear relationship was observed between MKP and KAA (r2 = .71), as well as between KASR and KAA (r2 = .72). Conclusions: Two-dimensional frontal plane measures show strong relationships to the KAA during the bilateral drop vertical jump.

scholarly journals Relationship between BMI and hip muscle strength in young female athletes to prevent lower extremity injury risk: A pilot study

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 3754-3758
Author(s):  
Akshaya M V ◽  
◽  
Abhilash P V ◽  
Priya S ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Strength ◽  
Lower Extremity ◽  
Injury Risk ◽  
Female Athletes ◽  
Young Female ◽  
Acute Injury ◽  
Lower Extremity Injury ◽  
College Level ◽  
Extremity Injury ◽  
Hip Muscle

Background: Early identification of the BMI and muscle weakness, can be promoted for developing future rehabilitation by giving proper training in athletes to reduce chance of injuries especially in female athletes. There-for the purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between BMI and hip muscle strength in young female athletes. Materials and Methods: study was conducted among college level female athletes from different colleges of Mangalore, Karnataka, India. 20 college level female athletes between 18-25 years with free from injury and involved at least 2 hrs. per week training session were included in this study. Athletes were excluded if participant had an acute injury during previous six months, had musculoskeletal surgery within the past year. Results: The total number of 20 young female athletes aged between 18- 25 were included in this study. Detailed results enumerated in detail in the results section. Discussion and Conclusion: There was no relationship between BMI and hip muscle strength. Identifying the relationship between BMI and hip muscle strength may help to prevent lower extremity injury risk in female athletes and specific muscle group training can be given as rehabilitation protocol. KEY WORDS: BMI, Hip Muscle Strength, Female Athletes, Lower Extremity Injury.

scholarly journals Y-Balance test asymmetry is greater in collegiate athletes with a history of concussion

Neurology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 91 (23 Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. S26.1-S26
Author(s):  
Hoch Matthew ◽  
Curry Nicole ◽  
Hartley-Gabriel Emily ◽  
Heebner Nicholas ◽  
Hoch Johanna
Keyword(s):  
Lower Extremity ◽  
Injury Risk ◽  
Collegiate Athletes ◽  
Lower Extremity Injury ◽  
Absolute Difference ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Extremity Injury ◽  
Balance Test ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
History Of

Athletes with a history of concussion (HC) are at an increased risk of sustaining lower extremity injuries. It is unclear if these individuals exhibit dynamic postural control deficits associated with lower extremity injury risk. The purpose of this study was to determine if collegiate athletes with a HC demonstrate differences in Y-Balance Test (YBT) performance compared to athletes with no history of concussion (NHC). A total of 116 varsity and club athletes from a Division-I university participated. Forty participants reported a HC (female/male: 31/9, age: 20.0 ± 1.4 years, height: 169.3 ± 13.1 cm, mass: 68.4 ± 14.0 kg) while 76 reported NHC (female/male: 60/16, age: 20.0 ± 1.7 years, height: 168.5 ± 12.9 cm, mass: 68.7 ± 14.6 kg). Individuals with a current concussion or lower extremity injury, or a history of lower extremity surgery were excluded. Participants completed the YBT anterior reach direction barefoot on both limbs. The YBT was completed by maximally reaching anteriorly, maintaining balance, and returning to the starting position without errors. Participants completed 4 practice trials and 3 test trials. Reach distances were averaged and normalized to leg length. Between-limb asymmetry was calculated as the absolute difference between the left and right limbs. Separate independent t-tests examined group differences in normalized reach distances and asymmetry. The proportion of participants in each group with >4 cm of asymmetry was compared using a χ2 test. Alpha was set at 0.05 for all analyses. No group differences were identified in normalized reach distances for the left (HC: 61.4% ± 9.2%, NHC: 60.8% ± 6.2%, p = 0.88, ES = 0.08) or right (HC: 61.4% ± 6.2%, NHC: 60.2% ± 6.8%, p = 0.51, ES = 0.17) limbs. However, a greater proportion of HC participants demonstrated >4 cm asymmetry (HC: 40.0%, NHC: 19.7%; p = 0.02) and these participants exhibited greater asymmetry (HC: 3.87 ± 3.69 cm, NHC: 2.40 ± 2.13 cm, p = 0.03; ES = 0.53). Athletes with a HC exhibited greater asymmetry compared to athletes with NHC. Anterior reach asymmetries of >4 cm are associated with greater lower extremity injury risk. The YBT may provide a clinical technique to further explore the relationship between concussion and lower extremity injury.

scholarly journals Strength, Multijoint Coordination, and Sensorimotor Processing Are Independent Contributors to Overall Balance Ability

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily L. Lawrence ◽  
Guilherme M. Cesar ◽  
Martha R. Bromfield ◽  
Richard Peterson ◽  
Francisco J. Valero-Cuevas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Lower Extremity ◽  
Outcome Measures ◽  
Vertical Jump ◽  
Lower Extremity Injury ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Sensorimotor Processing ◽  
Multijoint Coordination ◽  
Balance Ability ◽  
Components Analysis

For young adults, balance is essential for participation in physical activities but is often disrupted following lower extremity injury. Clinical outcome measures such as single limb balance (SLB), Y-balance (YBT), and the single limb hop and balance (SLHB) tests are commonly used to quantify balance ability following injury. Given the varying demands across tasks, it is likely that such outcome measures provide useful, although task-specific, information. But the extent to which they are independent and contribute to understanding the multiple contributors to balance is not clear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the associations among these measures as they relate to the different contributors to balance. Thirty-seven recreationally active young adults completed measures including Vertical Jump, YBT, SLB, SLHB, and the new Lower Extremity Dexterity test. Principal components analysis revealed that these outcome measures could be thought of as quantifying the strength, multijoint coordination, and sensorimotor processing contributors to balance. Our results challenge the practice of using a single outcome measure to quantify the naturally multidimensional mechanisms for everyday functions such as balance. This multidimensional approach to, and interpretation of, multiple contributors to balance may lead to more effective, specialized training and rehabilitation regimens.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document