Kinetic Knee Differences During a Drop Vertical Jump onto Different Surfaces
Authors:
Kevin Buechler, Bahar Hamedani, Melinda PittmanMentors:
- Guillermo Noffal, Associate Professor of Kinesiology, California State University Fullerton
- Scott Lynn, Associate Professor of Kinesiology, California State University Fullerton
The forces transmitted to athlete’s joints and tissues while jumping and performing high velocity movements are varied among different surfaces and absorptive materials. With continuous advancements and development in field turf production, measurement of kinetic differences occurring at the knee may help reduce the incidence of knee injuries. The kinetic differences at the knee on different contact surfaces during a drop vertical jump were analyzed. Twenty healthy, recreationally trained males and performed a series of five drop vertical jumps each of the three contact surfaces: Packed Grass (PG), Tiger Turf (TT), and Tile (T). Initial peak landing knee moments were obtained through inverse dynamics with motion capture and ground reaction force data. A one-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed that knee valgus moments were significantly different across the three surfaces. There is a difference in knee moments in various contact surfaces. However, further research needs to be conducted in order to determine which surface may be deemed safest for athletes as well as other factors that may affect landing. By determining how contact surfaces affect knee loads in a landing paradigm, athletes may be able to accommodate their training or equipment to decrease knee moments.