Citation

Cortes N, Greska E, Caswell S, Ambegaonkar J, Onate J. Br. J. Sports Med. 2014; 48(7): 581-582.

Affiliation

George Mason University, Manassas, VA, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/bjsports-2014-093494.59

PMID

24620100

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Despite numerous injury prevention programs (IPP), the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in athletics remains high. Few IPP have quantified biomechanical changes in the dominant and non-dominant leg. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of an IPP on lower extremity (LE) biomechanics between dominant and non-dominant limb during an unanticipated sidestep cutting task (USCT). DESIGN: Quasi-experimental. SETTING: Collegiate soccer players. PARTICIPANTS: 14 athletes (19.1±1.0 years, 1.67±0.05 m, 63.6±6.0 kg) free from any LE injury six months prior to and throughout the study, and with team physician clearance to practice and play participated in the study. RISK FACTOR ASSESSMENT: A 3-D motion-capture system quantified LE biomechanics pre and post IPP during an USCT. Participants completed 3 USCT trials bilaterally. The IPP integrated agility and plyometric drills into normal team training during a 10-week off-season period. The IPP emphasized maximum effort and power while maintaining proper body angles and force attenuation during landing, as well as during acceleration and jumping. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Hip (HF) and knee flexion (KF) and abduction angles(°) and moments (Nm/kgm) were measured at initial contact [IC] and peak stance [PS]. Repeated measures ANOVAs assessed the effects of training and leg dominance. RESULTS: At IC, KF decreased on the dominant side post-IPP (Pre: -26±8, Post: -19±8, p=0.045). Knee adductor moment decreased post-IPP on dominant side (Pre: 0.11±0.11, Post: -0.01±0.10, P=.012), but the non-dominant side increased post-IPP (Pre: 0.04±0.12, Post: 0.09±0.11, P=.012). HF decreased for both sides post-IPP (P=.006), whereas hip flexor moment increased (P=.025). At PS, HF decreased post-IPP (P=.0017) regardless of side. No other differences were noted. CONCLUSIONS: After a 10-week IPP, participants decreased knee and hip flexion angles regardless of limb dominance. Our participants exhibited similar movement patterns between the dominant and non-dominant leg. Our findings also suggest that when IPP drills focus on power and body posture, its effectiveness to alter neuromechanics relative to non-contact ACL injury risk factors remains questionable and warrants further investigation.

Language: en