Biomechanical differences between unilateral and bilateral landings from a jump: gender differences
Evangelos Pappas1, Marshall Hagins, Ali Sheikhzadeh
1Division of Physical Therapy, Long Island University, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA. evangelos.pappas@liu.edu
Summary
Recreational athletes exhibit altered knee biomechanics and muscle activation during unilateral drop landings compared to bilateral. Females show greater knee valgus and vertical ground reaction force in both landing types.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Sports Medicine
- Exercise Physiology
Background:
- Drop landings are common in sports and can lead to injuries.
- Understanding the biomechanical differences between unilateral and bilateral landings is crucial for injury prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of landing type (unilateral vs. bilateral) and gender on the biomechanics of drop landings in recreational athletes.
- To compare kinematic, kinetic, and electromyographic (EMG) variables between unilateral and bilateral drop landings.
- To identify gender-specific biomechanical differences during drop landings.
Main Methods:
- A repeated measures design was employed, comparing bilateral and unilateral drop landings from a 40-cm platform in 16 male and 16 female recreational athletes.
- Kinetic, kinematic, and electromyographic (EMG) data were collected.
- Repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to analyze the data.
Main Results:
- Unilateral landings resulted in increased knee valgus, decreased knee flexion at initial contact and peak, decreased relative hip adduction, and increased muscle activation (EMG) of the rectus femoris, hamstrings, and medial gastrocnemius compared to bilateral landings.
- Females exhibited greater knee valgus and normalized vertical ground reaction force (VGRF) than males during both landing types.
- No significant interaction effect was found between landing type and gender.
Conclusions:
- Recreational athletes demonstrate significant differences in knee kinematics and muscle activation between unilateral and bilateral drop landings.
- Female athletes exhibit higher knee valgus and VGRF compared to males, irrespective of landing type.
- These findings highlight distinct biomechanical strategies for unilateral landings and potential gender-based injury risk factors.
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