title: Lower limb kinematic alterations during drop vertical jumps in female athletes who have undergone anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine if anterior cruciate ligament reconstructed (ACL-R) female athletes exhibit altered lower limb kinematic profiles during jump landing when compared to a non-injured age, sex, and activity matched control group. Fourteen ACL-R and 14 non-injured control subjects performed 3 vertical drop jump (DVJ) trials. Lower limb kinematics were recorded at 200 Hz. Peak and time-averaged angular displacements were quantified and utilized for between-group analysis. The ACL-R group displayed altered hip joint frontal and transverse plane kinematic alterations, and knee joint frontal and sagittal plane kinematic alterations. Specifically the ACL-R group displayed an increased adducted (p < 0.05) and internally rotated (p < 0.05) hip joint position, both peak and time-averaged, following landing. The ACL-R group also displayed a decreased adducted (p < 0.05) and flexed (p < 0.05) position of the knee joint following landing. The observed aberrant lower limb kinematics could pre-dispose ACL-R athletes to potential future knee joint injuries. Further studies are required to determine in a prospective manner whether such deficits increase the incidence of recurrent ACL injury, and whether specific sensorimotor protocols following ACL reconstruction can minimize these kinematic deficits.
authors.affiliation: University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. eamonn.delahunt@ucd.ie
authors.forename: Eamonn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Delahunt
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sweeney
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chawke
authors.forename: Judy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kelleher
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Matt
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prendiville
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D059549:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology; D007866:Leg / Q000502:physiology*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult