Relationship Between Knee Valgus and Landing Biomechanics

NCT ID: NCT06257303

Last Updated: 2025-03-19

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 56 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2024-04-30
• Study Completion Date: 2025-01-10

Brief Summary

It has been shown that especially adolescent female athletes have a very high risk of injury compared to males. Gender differences (anatomical, biomechanical, neuromuscular and hormonal differences) contribute to the increased risk of injury. Basketball, one of the sports preferred by adolescent girls, brings with it high risks of injury due to the high participation rate among team sports. The occurrence of lower extremity injuries such as anterior cruciate ligament injuries and patellofemoral pain during dynamic activities (e.g., landing, running, etc.) has been associated with dynamic knee valgus, a pattern of lower extremity malalignment. At the same time, weakness of the core muscles and inadequate ankle dorsiflexion joint range of motion also contribute to the injury. The aim of this study is to examine the correlation between landing biomechanics, core endurance and ankle dorsiflexion angle in adolescent female basketball players with dynamic knee valgus.

Detailed Description

Although interest in identifying injury risk factors has increased recently, it has been stated that adolescent athletes are especially vulnerable to injury. Such sex-based differences that may explain the increased risk of anterior cruciate ligament injury in girls compared with boys include anatomical, biomechanical, neuromuscular, and hormonal differences. A broad range of physiological mechanisms (e.g., hormone control, differences in joint geometry, collagen turnover, etc.) play a role in lower extremity injuries and may explain these sex differences. Basketball, one of the sports preferred by adolescent girls, brings with it high risks of injury due to the high participation rate among team sports. As a result of the studies, it was revealed that 7 to 10 people out of every 1000 were injured. 16% of female basketball players are at risk of anterior cruciate ligament injury during their careers, and this rate is 2 to 4 times higher than that of men. The occurrence of lower extremity injuries such as anterior cruciate ligament injuries and patellofemoral pain during dynamic activities (e.g., landing, running, etc.) has been associated with dynamic knee valgus. A common malalignment that may occur in the lower extremities during sports activities is dynamic knee valgus, which has been suggested as the underlying mechanism of knee injury. Dynamic knee valgus involves a combination of knee abduction, tibial internal rotation, and hip adduction. Numerous studies associate core muscle weakness with lower extremity malalignment. Changes in the trunk-pelvis-hip complex can lead to dynamic knee valgus, a dysfunction that also appears to be influenced by factors such as gender, physical activity level, and body mass index. In post-jump landing biomechanics, limitations in ankle dorsiflexion joint range of motion are considered a modifiable injury risk factor for athletes. Ankle dorsiflexion during landing helps reduce ground reaction forces and facilitates knee and hip flexion in the sagittal plane. It has been shown that decreased ankle dorsiflexion joint range of motion limits peak flexion angles of the ankle, knee, and hip and increases peak knee abduction angles during descent. This situation shows the relationship between ankle dorsiflexion joint range of motion and frontal plane projection angle. This study aims to examine the correlation between landing biomechanics, core endurance and ankle dorsiflexion angle in adolescent female basketball players with dynamic knee valgus. It was hypothesized that participants with greater knee valgus had poor core stabilization ability and limited dorsiflexion angle.

Conditions

Injury Traumatic; Injury;Sports; Injury, Knee; Injury, Ankle

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NON_RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: PREVENTION
• Blinding Strategy: DOUBLE

Study Groups

Valgus Group

If there is an increase of 10 degrees or more in the frontal plane projection angle while squatting on one leg, the participant will be included in this group.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Frontal Plane Projection Angle

Intervention Type: OTHER

Participants will stand with their feet aligned in the sagittal plane and their arms crossed across their chests. By prior instruction, subjects will be asked to squat up to 60º knee flexion in a controlled manner without losing their balance, before returning to the starting position. Digital recordings of the frontal plane will be made while individuals perform a single-leg squat test at 60º knee flexion 3 times.

Control Group

If the frontal plane projection angle is in the normal values while squatting on one leg, the participant will be included in this group.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Frontal Plane Projection Angle

Intervention Type: OTHER

Participants will stand with their feet aligned in the sagittal plane and their arms crossed across their chests. By prior instruction, subjects will be asked to squat up to 60º knee flexion in a controlled manner without losing their balance, before returning to the starting position. Digital recordings of the frontal plane will be made while individuals perform a single-leg squat test at 60º knee flexion 3 times.

Interventions

Frontal Plane Projection Angle

Participants will stand with their feet aligned in the sagittal plane and their arms crossed across their chests. By prior instruction, subjects will be asked to squat up to 60º knee flexion in a controlled manner without losing their balance, before returning to the starting position. Digital recordings of the frontal plane will be made while individuals perform a single-leg squat test at 60º knee flexion 3 times.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Having been training basketbol for at least 6 months,
• Being between the ages of 10-19
• Being female
• Having an increase of 10 degrees or more in the frontal plane projection angle (for the valgus group)
• Having a frontal plane projection angle at normal values (for the control group)
• No active pain in the lower extremity
• No mental and psychological problems

Exclusion Criteria

• Non-volunteer athletes
• Having a body mass index of 30 kg/m² and above
• Having undergone lower extremity surgery
• Having chronic knee instability.
• Having had a meniscus or ligament injury
• Having a cardiac, musculoskeletal, vestibular and neurological disease
• Having been using corticosteroids and nonsteroidal drugs for a long time.
• Being pregnant.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 10 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 19 Years
• Eligible Sex: FEMALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Bahçeşehir University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Pelin Pişirici

Assistant Professor, PT, PhD

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Bahcesehir University

Istanbul, , Turkey (Türkiye)

Countries

Turkey (Türkiye)

Other Identifiers

NA-LandingB

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id