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Curved decelerations result in greater frontal-plane knee loading than straight-line tasks.
Lucas Galmiche1, Uwe G Kersting2, Kevin Bill3
1Institute of Biomechanics and Orthopaedics, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany; VALD Pty Ltd, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
The Knee
|June 10, 2026
Summary
Curved deceleration increases knee joint loading and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury risk due to longer frontal-plane moment arms. Incorporating curved braking drills can aid athlete screening and injury prevention.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Sports Medicine
- Injury Prevention
Background:
- Non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are common in team sports, often occurring during deceleration and change-of-direction tasks.
- While many sports movements involve curved trajectories, the biomechanical effects of decelerating along a curve are not well understood.
- This study investigated if curved decelerations elevate knee loading, a risk factor for ACL injuries, compared to straight-line decelerations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare knee joint loading during straight-line versus curved deceleration tasks.
- To determine if curved deceleration increases frontal-plane knee moments associated with ACL injury risk.
- To identify specific biomechanical factors contributing to increased knee loading during curvilinear movements.
Main Methods:
- Twelve male participants performed three maximal deceleration tasks: straight-line, curved approach with straight deceleration, and curved approach with curved deceleration.
- Three-dimensional motion capture and force plates recorded center of mass (COM) velocity, peak external knee abduction moment (KAM), and ground reaction force (GRF).
- Repeated-measures ANOVAs analyzed differences in biomechanical variables across the three deceleration tasks.
Main Results:
- Peak knee abduction moment (KAM) was significantly higher during curved deceleration compared to straight-line deceleration.
- The frontal-plane moment arm was significantly longer during curved deceleration, contributing to increased KAM.
- Center of mass velocity and resultant ground reaction force did not significantly differ between the tasks.
Conclusions:
- Curved deceleration significantly increases knee joint loading via longer frontal-plane moment arms, independent of the approach trajectory.
- This finding highlights curvilinear deceleration as a critical, yet understudied, factor in non-contact ACL injury mechanisms.
- The results support the integration of curved deceleration drills into athlete screening and injury mitigation strategies.
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