Sex and limb differences in lower extremity alignments (LEAs) and dynamic lower extremity kinematics (LEKs) during a drop vertical jump were investigated in participants of Korean ethnicity. One hundred healthy males and females participated in a drop vertical jump, and LEAs and LEKs were determined in dominant and non-dominant limbs. A 2-by-2 mixed model MANOVA was performed to compare LEAs and joint kinematics between sexes and limbs (dominant vs. non-dominant). Compared with males, females possessed a significantly greater pelvic tilt, femoral anteversion, Q-angle, and reduced tibial torsion. Females landed on the ground with significantly increased knee extension and ankle plantarflexion with reduced hip abduction and knee adduction, relatively decreased peak hip adduction, knee internal rotation, and increased knee abduction and ankle eversion. The non-dominant limb showed significantly increased hip flexion, abduction, and external rotation; knee flexion and internal rotation; and ankle inversion at initial contact. Further, the non-dominant limb showed increased peak hip and knee flexion, relatively reduced peak hip adduction, and increased knee abduction and internal rotation. It could be suggested that LEAs and LEKs observed in females and non-dominant limbs might contribute to a greater risk of anterior cruciate ligament injuries.

The Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES) is an instrument used to measure the level of motivation in regards to changing drinking and other addictive behaviors. While some initial factor analysis studies on the SOCRATES described a three-factor orthogonal structure of the scale, some other studies found a two-factor correlated structure. Therefore, the primary objective of the present study was to test the validity of the Korean language version of the instrument using a Korean population. The study examined the factor structure of the Korean version of the SOCRATES with clinical samples consisting of 219 inpatients and 271 outpatients with alcohol dependency. An exploratory factor analysis with an alpha factoring method revealed a three-factor correlated structure (i.e., Taking Steps, Recognition, and Ambivalence). The factorial structure of the SOCRATES Korean version corresponded almost exactly to that of its original French version as well as the German version. Moreover, confirmatory factor analyses showed that a three-factor correlated structure provided the best fit for the data.

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BackgroundClinicians regularly utilize ankle taping procedures to prevent ankle sprains during practice/competition. Though many different ankle taping applications are employed, the effect of these on biomechanics and performance is unknown.ObjectiveTo investigate changes in ankle biomechanics during landing and jump performance with ankle taping.DesignTriple-blind randomized.SettingUniversity laboratory.ParticipantsTwenty-eight participants (14 healthy, 14 with chronic ankle instability [CAI]).InterventionsEach participant was assigned to a randomized order of three taping applications (1: Traditional Taping [TT], 2: Mulligan Concept Taping [MT], and 3: Kinesiology Taping [KT]) and performed maximum vertical jump and running-stop jump-landings (3 before and 3 after) each ankle taping application. An eight infrared optical cameras system (Vicon Motion Systems Ltd. Oxford, UK) and force plate (AMTI, Watertown, MA) were used to collect all kinematics and kinetics data during running-stop jump-landing.Main Outcome MeasurementsMaximum height of vertical jump and excursion of dorsiflexion (DF) and inversion (IV) of the ankle between 100 ms before and after initial contact (IC).ResultsA statistically significant difference for the main effects of tape application [F(2,26)=0.06, p=0.94, M±SD: 0.82±12.55(TT), 1.29±8.64 (MT), 0.42±10.31 (MT); F(2,26)=0.58, p=0.46, M±SD: 0.58±1.38(TT), 0.67±0.65(MT), 0.48±0.97(MT)] and interactions [F(2,26)=0.89, p=0.51; F(2,26)=0.46, p=0.41] on changes of DF and IV were not found regardless of tape application. For MVJ, a statistically significant change across tape application was not found [F(2,26)=0.65, p=0.49]; however, a statistically significant interaction on MVJ was found in the CAI group with KT application[F(2,26)=3.50, p=0.04, M±SD: 0.30±0.69 [Healthy]; −0.36±0.88 [CAI]).ConclusionsThe use of tape did not have any significant impact on ankle biomechanics during landing. Using KT produced a significant change in MVJ in participants with CAI, but the improvement is unlikely to be clinically meaningful. The use of these taping methods to improve ankle biomechanics or improve jump performance in healthy athletes, or those with CAI, is questionable.

Context: Clinically, it has been suggested that increased activation of intrinsic foot muscles may alter the demand of extrinsic muscle activity surrounding the ankle joint in patients with stage II posterior tibial tendon dysfunction. However, there is limited empirical evidence supporting this notion. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a 4-week short-foot exercise (SFE) on biomechanical factors in patients with stage II posterior tibial tendon dysfunction. Design: Single-group pretest–posttest. Setting: University laboratory. Participants: Fifteen subjects (8 males and 7 females) with stage II posterior tibial tendon dysfunction who had pain in posterior tibial tendon, pronated foot deformity (foot posture index ≥+6), and flexible foot deformity (navicular drop ≥10 mm) were voluntarily recruited. Intervention: All subjects completed a 4-week SFE program (15 repetitions × 5 sets/d and 3 d/wk) of 4 stages (standing with feedback, sitting, double-leg, and one-leg standing position). Main Outcome Measures: Ankle joint kinematics and kinetics and tibialis anterior and fibularis longus muscle activation (% maximum voluntary isometric contraction) during gait were measured before and after SFE program. Cohen d effect size (ES [95% confidence intervals]) was calculated. Results: During the first rocker, tibialis anterior activation decreased at peak plantarflexion (ES = 0.75 [0.01 to 1.49]) and inversion (ES = 0.77 [0.03 to 1.51]) angle. During the second rocker, peak dorsiflexion angle (ES = 0.77 [0.03 to 1.51]) and tibialis anterior activation at peak eversion (ES = 1.57 [0.76 to 2.39]) reduced. During the third rocker, the peak abduction angle (ES = 0.80 [0.06 to 1.54]) and tibialis anterior and fibularis longus activation at peak plantarflexion (ES = 1.34 [0.54 to 2.13]; ES = 1.99 [1.11 to 2.86]) and abduction (ES = 1.29 [0.50 to 2.08]; ES = 1.67 [0.84 to 2.50]) decreased. Conclusions: Our 4-week SFE program may have positive effects on changing muscle activation patterns for tibialis anterior and fibularis longus muscles, although it could not influence their structural deformity and ankle joint moment. It could produce a potential benefit of decreased tibialis posterior activation.