RESEARCH PAPER
Sagittal Plane Landing Mechanics Differences between Limbs during Single- and Double-Leg Jump Landings: Implications
for ACL Injury Risk in Females
1
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Ningbo No. 2 Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Ningbo, China.
2
Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei City, Taiwan.
3
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
4
Department of Kinesiology, Inha University, Incheon, South Korea.
Submission date: 2024-12-15
Final revision date: 2025-03-29
Acceptance date: 2025-06-13
Online publication date: 2026-03-16
Corresponding author
Yu-Lun Huang
Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Given the disparity in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury rates between dominant and non-dominant legs during single-leg and double-leg jump landings (SLJLs and DLJLs, respectively) in females, landing mechanics may differ across limbs and tasks. Furthermore, ACL injury risk stemming from peak kinetics is influenced by the knee flexion (KF) angle during force exertion. This study aimed to examine differences in sagittal plane landing mechanics between limbs during the SLJL and the DLJL in healthy females, with a specific focus on KF at peak kinetic values. Nineteen recreationally active females (age = 21.11 ± 3.28 yr; body height = 167.26 ± 7.26 cm, body mass = 67.28 ± 9.25 kg) were included. Sagittal plane biomechanics were recorded using a motion capture system interfaced with two force plates during the SLJL and the DLJL. Paired-sample t-tests were conducted to assess biomechanical differences between legs for both tasks. Limb asymmetries in KF at peak kinetic values were found between legs in healthy females. The non-dominant leg exhibited smaller KF at peak anterior tibial shear force (ATSF) than the dominant leg during the SLJL (p = 0.04, d = 0.49). During the DLJL, the dominant leg displayed smaller KF at peak knee extension moment (KEM) than the non-dominant leg (p = 0.03, d = 0.53). The findings indicate that females may have a higher ACL injury risk in the non-dominant leg during the SLJL, and in the dominant leg during the DLJL. These task-specific differences highlight that screenings should consider both limbs and landing types to enhance injury risk detection. Considering KF at peak kinetics when evaluating landing mechanics may enhance sensitivity and accuracy in identifying the leg at high risk for ACL injury.
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