Anticipatory effects on side-step cutting biomechanics in Women's Australian Football League players

Reactive side-step cutting manoeuvres are linked to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in Women's Australian Football League (AFLW) matches. We explored knee joint moments and ground reaction forces (GRFs) in AFLW players when performing anticipated and unanticipated side-stepping.

Sixteen AFLW players (age=25.3±4.2 years; height=1.71±0.06 m; mass=68.4±4.7 kg) completed anticipated and unanticipated side-stepping trials during which full-body three-dimensional kinematics and kinetics were recorded. One-dimensional statistical parametric mapping paired t-tests were used to compare three-dimensional knee moments during weight acceptance and GRFs during the stance phase between anticipated and unanticipated conditions.

Unanticipated side-stepping incurred lower knee flexion (18%-39% of stance, p<0.01) and abduction (11%-24% of stance, p<0.01) moments. Braking and propulsive GRFs were lower and higher, respectively, across the majority of stance phase (6%-90% of stance, p<0.01) in unanticipated side-stepping. Vertical GRFs were lower in unanticipated side-stepping in the early stance phase (14%-29% of stance, p<0.01).

Contrary to existing literature, AFLW players exhibited knee joint moments associated with reduced ACL loading when performing unanticipated side-stepping. Players appeared to adopt a 'cautious' approach to the unanticipated side-step (ie, decelerating at the change of direction), by reducing braking and vertical GRFs in the early stance phase of cutting. This approach may be implausible to employ or detrimental to performance during matches. AFLW ACL injury prevention programmes may be enhanced with greater exposure to scenarios that replicate reactive match-play demands when aiming to improve side-stepping biomechanics.