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Published on: August 25, 2020
Anticipatory Effects on Lower Extremity Neuromechanics During a Cutting Task
Carolyn M Meinerz1, Philip Malloy1, Christopher F Geiser1
1Department of Exercise Physiology, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI.
Context:
Continued research into the mechanism of noncontact anterior cruciate ligament injury helps to improve clinical interventions and injury-prevention strategies. A better understanding of the effects of anticipation on landing neuromechanics may benefit training interventions.
Objective:
To determine the effects of anticipation on lower extremity neuromechanics during a single-legged land-and-cut task.
Design:
Controlled laboratory study.
Setting:
University biomechanics laboratory.
Participants:
Eighteen female National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I collegiate soccer players (age = 19.7 ± 0.8 years, height = 167.3 ± 6.0 cm, mass = 66.1 ± 2.1 kg).
Intervention(S):
Participants performed a single-legged land-and-cut task under anticipated and unanticipated conditions.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
Three-dimensional initial contact angles, peak joint angles, and peak internal joint moments and peak vertical ground reaction forces and sagittal-plane energy absorption of the 3 lower extremity joints; muscle activation of selected hip- and knee-joint muscles.
Results:
Unanticipated cuts resulted in less knee flexion at initial contact and greater ankle toe-in displacement. Unanticipated cuts were also characterized by greater internal hip-abductor and external-rotator moments and smaller internal knee-extensor and external-rotator moments. Muscle-activation profiles during unanticipated cuts were associated with greater activation of the gluteus maximus during the precontact and landing phases.
Conclusions:
Performing a cutting task under unanticipated conditions changed lower extremity neuromechanics compared with anticipated conditions. Most of the observed changes in lower extremity neuromechanics indicated the adoption of a hip-focused strategy during the unanticipated condition.
