Muscular Coordination of Single-Leg Hop Landing in Uninjured and Anterior Cruciate Ligament-Reconstructed Individuals

This study compared lower-limb muscle function, defined as the contributions of muscles to center-of-mass support and braking, during a single-leg hopping task in anterior cruciate ligament-reconstructed (ACLR) individuals and uninjured controls. In total, 65 ACLR individuals and 32 controls underwent a standardized anticipated single-leg forward hop. Kinematics and ground reaction force data were input into musculoskeletal models to calculate muscle forces and to quantify muscle function by decomposing the vertical (support) and fore-aft (braking) ground reaction force components into contributions by individual lower-limb muscles. Four major muscles, the vasti, soleus, gluteus medius, and gluteus maximus, were primarily involved in support and braking in both ACLR and uninjured groups. However, although the ACLR group demonstrated lower peak forces for these muscles (all Ps < .001, except gluteus maximus, P = .767), magnitude differences in these muscles' contributions to support and braking were not significant. ACLR individuals demonstrated higher erector spinae (P = .012) and hamstrings forces (P = .085) to maintain a straighter, stiffer landing posture with more forward lumbar flexion. This altered landing posture may have enabled the ACLR group to achieve similar muscle function to controls, despite muscle force deficits. Our findings may benefit rehabilitation and the development of interventions to enable faster and safer return to sport.