Exploring ACL risk factors differences between quick and max drop jump
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Abstract
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears in most common in female athletes often occur during rapid/reactive landings. Although drop jumps are commonly used to assess ACL injury risk, it remains unclear which type is more sensitive to detecting high-risk movement patterns. The purpose of this study was to investigate which of the two types of drop jumps, max vertical jump (DMVJ) and quick vertical jump (DQVJ), is more sensitive identifying ACL injury risk factors. Forty-three NCAA Division II female athletes participated in the study. The participants completed three trials of each drop jump while kinematics, kinetics, and EMG data were collected. Paired t-tests or Wilcoxon tests with Holm–Bonferroni correction (α = .05) were used for analysis. Lower knee flexion, knee adduction angles were observed at DQVJ (p < .05). DQVJ showed higher peak knee abduction angular velocity, peak vertical ground reaction force BW, and maximal rate of force development (p < .05). Muscle activity was also greater in DQVJ, for the semitendinosus and vastus lateralis muscles (p < .05). The DQVJ elicited stiffer landings, increased frontal-plane knee motion, and altered VL–ST activation, supporting its use as a sensitive and practical tool for identifying ACL-risk mechanics in female athletes.
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