Ankle dorsiflexion range of motion impacts sagittal but not frontal-plane landing mechanics

Cammack, Nicholas and Howe, Louis ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2001-2802 (2019) Ankle dorsiflexion range of motion impacts sagittal but not frontal-plane landing mechanics. In: British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) Student Conference 2019: Sport and Exercise Science - Transforming Lives, 17-18 April 2019, University of Dundee and Abertay University, UK. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Poor landing mechanics has been highlighted as injury risk factor for the development of both acute and chronic injuries (Tillman et al., 2004, Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 3, 30–36). Deficits in ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (DF ROM) have been shown to lead to altered landing mechanics in the lower extremities. However, at present there is limited evidence for restrictions in ankle DF ROM influencing hip or trunk kinematics during landing tasks. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between ankle DF ROM and the aberrant strategies in lower extremity and trunk kinematics during a single leg drop vertical jump (SLDVJ). Thirty-one participants volunteered for this investigation (12 women and 19 men, mean ± SD; age 21 ± 1.7 years, height 173.1 ± 8.2 cm, mass 72.3 ± 13.7). Ankle DF ROM was measured for the right limb using the weight bearing lunge test (WBLT) (Balsalobre-Fernández et al., 2018, Journal of Sport Sciences, 37, 249-253). With institutional ethical approval, the SLDVJ was performed off a 10 cm box on the right limb for three repetitions. Sagittal-plane initial contact and peak flexion angles were calculated for the hip, knee and ankle joints. Frontal-plane projection angles (FPPA) for the knee and the lateral trunk angle were also calculated at the moment of peak knee flexion. Utilizing a Pearson rank correlation test, a significant negative relationship was found between ankle DF ROM and peak flexion at the knee (R = -0.53, P<0.003) and ankle (R = -0.49, P<0.006) joints. No relationship was found between ankle DF ROM and other measures of landing performance at the initial contact or the moment of peak flexion. These findings suggest that reduced ankle ROM may result in reduced knee flexion and ankle dorsiflexion during single leg landings. Previously, reduced peak knee flexion during landings has been associated with greater peak forces (Yeow et al., 2009, The Knee, 16, 381-386) and loads placed on passive structures at the tibiofemoral joint (Podraza and White, 2010, The Knee, 17, 291-295). Limitations in ankle DF ROM may therefore increase the forces an individual is exposed to during single-leg landing activities, thus increasing an individual’s risk factor for injury.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Poster)
Departments:	Academic Departments > Medical & Sport Sciences (MSS) > Sports and Physical Activity
Depositing User:	Anna Lupton
Date Deposited:	06 Jun 2019 08:42
Last Modified:	13 Jan 2024 08:32
URI:	https://insight.cumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/4803

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