Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 16, 2026

Using Gold-standard Gait Analysis Methods to Assess Experience Effects on Lower-limb Mechanics During Moderate High-heeled Jogging and Running
Published on: September 14, 2017
Influence of relative hip and knee extensor muscle strength on landing biomechanics
Kristen M Stearns1, Robert G Keim, Christopher M Powers
1Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA. kristen.stearns@gmail.com
Purpose:
This study aimed to determine whether the tendency of women to exhibit higher knee extensor moments relative to hip extensor moments during the deceleration phase of landing can be explained by the relative strength of the knee and hip extensors.
Methods:
Forty recreationally active individuals participated in this study (20 men and 20 women). The maximum isometric strength of the knee extensors and hip extensors was assessed using a load cell and custom testing setup. Lower extremity kinematics and kinetics were collected during a double-leg drop-jump task.
Results:
When compared with men, women demonstrated a significantly higher knee-hip extensor moment ratio during the deceleration phase of landing (1.42 ± 0.6 vs 1.12 ± 0.3, P < 0.001). In addition, the knee-hip extensor isometric strength ratio was significantly higher in women compared with men (1.01 ± 0.2 vs 0.89 ± 0.2, P < 0.001). The Pearson partial correlation (controlling for sex) revealed a significant positive association between the knee-hip extensor isometric strength ratio and the knee-hip extensor moment ratio (r = 0.41, P = 0.005).
Conclusion:
The tendency of women to exhibit higher knee extensor moments relative to hip extensor moments may be explained, in part, by the relative strength of the hip and knee extensors.
Related Concept Videos
Bones of the Lower Limb: Femur and Patella
Muscles that Move the Leg
Anterior Compartment
The quadriceps femoris, the most visible muscle of the anterior compartment, is integral for leg extension and thigh flexion. It is formed by merging four distinct muscles — the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, and rectus femoris. The quadriceps tendon, a shared tendon of the four quadriceps muscles, is affixed to...
Muscles of the Leg that Move the Foot and Toes
Anterior Compartment
The anterior compartment includes muscles that contribute to the dorsiflexion of the foot. This compartment houses the tibialis anterior, extensor hallucis longus, and extensor digitorum longus muscles.
Muscles that Move the Thigh
Three other significant muscles are the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. The gluteus maximus originates from the posterior surface of the ilium, sacrum, and coccyx, and the thoracolumbar fascia...

