Lower extremity joint posture and peak knee valgus moment during side-step cutting performed by males and females

Abstract

[Purpose] To determine the associations between peak knee valgus moment and lower extremity joint angles at initial contact and at peak knee valgus moment during side-step cutting and to investigate their associations with gender. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty healthy subjects and twenty basketball players participated in this study. Three-dimensional kinematics and kinetics of hip, knee and ankle joints were recorded during a side-step cutting protocol by six video cameras and a forceplate. Associations between peak knee valgus moment and three-dimensional hip, knee and ankle joint angles were analyzed using Pearson's product moment correlation. [Results] Peak knee valgus moment was significantly associated with increased hip flexion, knee flexion, ankle inversion and ankle external rotation at initial contact and at peak knee valgus moment. With regard to gender, significant associations between peak knee valgus moment and hip, knee and ankle joint angles were found only in females. [Conclusion] The results provided data on lower extremity joint posture related to peak knee valgus moment during side-step cutting and indicate that females are more sensitive to increased peak knee valgus moment while performing side-step cutting. Key words: Peak knee valgus moment, Side-step cutting, Lower extremity posture.