Gender comparisons between unilateral and bilateral landings

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Biomechanics
• Orthopedics

Background:

• Rising female sports participation correlates with higher knee injury rates, particularly anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries during landing.
• Landing mechanics are a critical factor in ACL injury etiology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate sex-based differences in landing strategies during unilateral and bilateral movements.
• To identify kinematic and kinetic factors contributing to potential injury risks in female athletes.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 16 male and 17 female recreational athletes for controlled landing tasks from a height.
• Utilized 3D motion capture to analyze dominant leg kinematics (joint angles, ranges of motion) and kinetics (joint moments).
• Calculated lower extremity energy absorption during the landing phase.

Main Results:

• Gender differences were primarily noted in sagittal hip and knee range of motion (ROM), possibly influenced by relative drop height.
• Unilateral landings demonstrated "stiff" landing patterns with altered hip and knee kinematics, associated with higher injury risk.
• Ankle musculature showed increased activation for impact absorption during unilateral landings, alongside greater joint extension at touchdown.

Conclusions:

• Landing strategies differ between sexes, with unilateral landings presenting unique biomechanical risks, especially for female athletes.
• The observed "stiff" landing and increased reliance on ankle absorption during unilateral tasks may elevate ACL injury risk.
• Passive energy transfer significantly contributes to impact attenuation during unilateral landings.