title: Biomechanical evaluation of the side-cutting manoeuvre associated with ACL injury in young female handball players.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the study was to investigate the biomechanics of the knee and hip joint during handball-specific side-cutting on the dominant and non-dominant leg. Understanding the sports-specific biomechanics may improve prevention measures and post-injury treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four young female elite handball players performed 5 handball side-cutting manoeuvres on the dominant and non-dominant legs. The local maxima of the joint moments in each plane, during the initial 100 ms following foot contact, were collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  External knee moments of flexion, outward rotation and valgus-along with external hip moments of extension, abduction and internal rotation-were observed, coincidentally 30-40 ms after foot contact. No side-to-side asymmetries were found. The external moments observed support the injury mechanisms previously described in case studies of handball injuries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results underline the importance of implementing preventive exercises that increase activity of medial hamstrings, to match the external outward rotating knee moments and knee valgus moments, and increase activity of hip external rotators to match the external hip inward-rotating moment. Furthermore, the results may yield further information to the graft selection decision before ACL surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diagnostic studies, Level II.
authors.affiliation: The Gait Analysis Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Kettegaard Allé 30, 2650, Hvidovre, Denmark. jesper.bencke@hvh.regionh.dk
authors.forename: Jesper
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bencke
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Curtis
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Krogshede
authors.forename: Line Klemmensen
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bandholm
authors.forename: Mette Kreutzfeldt
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Zebis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000503:physiopathology; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D012399:Rotation; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*