Knee injury kinematics

Question 1

three common kinematic observations at the time of an ACL injury.

Answer 1

1) knee valgus collapse - inward collapse of the knee
2) tibial rotation -
3) Anterior Translation of the Tibia

Question 2

What is the difference between an injury mechanism and a risk factor for injury

Answer 2

Injury mechanism - specific event, action, or process that directly causes or contributes to the occurrence of an injury.
Risk factor - refers to a characteristic, condition, or behavior that increases the likelihood or probability of an injury occurring.

Question 3

Explain what is meant by “dynamic coupling”.

Answer 3

The action of a muscle on a particular joint can alter depending on the position of the body (e.g. The soleus producing knee extension even though it is not generally said that its particular action is knee extension)

Question 4

how does a ‘soft landing’ prevent injury compared to a ‘stiff landing’

Answer 4

Force distribution: a stiff landing lacks the ability to efficiently absorb and distribute forces, leading to a sudden jolt and potentially placing excessive stress on the ACL.
Shock absorption: A soft landing relies on the muscles and tendons to act as shock absorbers.
Joint alignment: A soft landing promotes better alignment of the lower extremity joints, including the knee.

Question 5

6. Explain one strategy that could be implemented to reduce knee valgus loading during a sidestep cut (ensure that you also explain mechanically why this strategy would work)