Effects of Altering Trunk Position during Landings on Patellar Tendon Force and Pain

Abstract

Landing with greater trunk flexion decreased patellar tendon force in elite jumping athletes. An immediate decrease in knee pain was also observed in symptomatic athletes with a more flexed trunk position during landing. Increasing trunk flexion during landing might be an important strategy to reduce tendon overload in jumping athletes.

Jump‐landing mechanics in patellar tendinopathy in elite youth basketballers

“…Participants in this study displayed a similar knee flexion angle at IC and a hip extension strategy during landing contrary to the hypothesis. Lack of difference in knee flexion angle at IC between PT and controls aligns with previous research in adult PT cohorts during drop landings and a spike jump landing . However, this study's finding contradicts a significantly greater knee flexion angle at IC reported in asymptomatic PTA cohorts, adults and sub‐elite junior basketballers during the horizontal phase of a stop‐jump.…”

“…The disparity of kinematic findings in this study in comparison with other landing studies may partially be explained by varied cohorts (age, sport, skill level, injury history/current) and jump‐landing task selection (stop‐jump horizontal landing, spike jump landing, drop landing). Most of the previous research investigating PT and landing kinematics has focused upon a vertical landing phase; however, in comparison athletes adopt a different movement strategy in a horizontal landing phase . The differences of kinematic findings between studies and differences in landing strategies between vertical and horizontal tasks supports the idea of contextually specific landing mechanics.…”

“…The remaining 23 participants were stratified based on the following criteria: (a) typical bilateral patellar tendons (n = 11, termed controls); (b) current symptomatic PT (VISA‐P score <80 with hypoechoic regions present bilaterally or unilaterally (n = 8); and (c) current asymptomatic PTA (VISA‐P score ≥80) with hypoechoic regions present bilaterally or unilaterally (n = 4). Due to the sample size of the asymptomatic PTA group, they were excluded from the statistical analysis nor was the group included in the control group as they have previously been reported to adopt different stop‐jump mechanics to the control group, and this would therefore likely confound results.…”

“…Landing mechanics during dynamic tasks may also be a critical factor associated with PT . Altered lower limb mechanics during landing have previously been reported to be associated with symptomatic PT, and/or asymptomatic PTA across various jump‐landing tasks, ages, sporting cohorts, and sporting levels . These cross‐sectional studies reveal how jump‐landing mechanics may be altered with injury, yet the disparate findings between studies suggest key significant variables may only be implicated with injury under certain circumstances.…”

“…For example during a horizontal stop‐jump landing, male adult participants from team sports with repetitive landings who were asymptomatic with a PTA have been shown to contact the ground with greater knee flexion at IC in a horizontal stop‐jump landing . However, the same study reported knee flexion angle was not significant in the vertical stop‐jump landing nor was it reported to be significant for asymptomatic elite male adult basketballers with PTA in a drop land …”