Pappas E, Hagins M, Sheikhzadeh A, Nordin M, Rose D
The objective of this study was to determine the effect of landing type (unilateral vs. bilateral) and gender on the biomechanics of drop landings in recreational athletes. Sixteen female and 16 male recreational athletes performed bilateral and unilateral landings from a 40-cm platform. Kinetic, kinematic, and electromyographic (EMG) data were collected. Compared to bilateral landings, subjects performed unilateral landings with increased knee valgus, decreased knee flexion at initial contact, decreased peak knee flexion, decreased relative hip adduction, and increased normalized EMG of the rectus femoris, medial hamstrings, lateral hamstrings, and medial gastrocnemius. During both types of landing, females landed with increased knee valgus and normalized vertical ground reaction force (VGRF) compared to males. The authors conclude that compared to bilateral landings, male and female recreational athletes performed unilateral landings with significant differences in knee kinematic and EMG variables. Female athletes landed with increased knee valgus and VGRF compared to males during both types of landing.
Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine, 2007,17(4), 263-8