The effects of a high-intensity exercise bout on landing biomechanics post anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a quasi-experimental study

• Published in: BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation medicine & rehabilitation, 2021-04, Vol.13 (1), p.36-36, Article 36
• Main Authors: Alanazi, Ahmad Dhahawi, Mitchell, Katy, Roddey, Toni, Alenazi, Aqeel M, Alzhrani, Msaad M, Almansour, Ahmed M, Ortiz-Rodriguez, Alexis
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ACL reconstruction; Anaerobic threshold; Analysis; Biomechanics; Body mass index; Electrodes; Exercise; Fatigue; High-intensity exercise; Injuries; Investigations; Jumping; Kinematics; Knee; Lactates; Landing biomechanics; Ligaments; Males; Orthopedic surgery; Quasi-experimental methods; Soccer; Soccer players; United Kingdom
• ISSN: 2052-1847; 2052-1847
• DOI: 10.1186/s13102-021-00263-7

We aimed to examine the effect of a high-intensity exercise bout on landing biomechanics in soccer players who underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) and non-injured soccer players during a soccer-specific landing maneuver. Eighteen soccer players who underwent ACLR and 18 normal soccer players were enrolled in this investigation (ACLR group; age, 26.11 ± 3.95 years; body mass index, 23.52 ± 2.69 kg/m ; surgery time, 5 ± 3.30 years: control group; age, 25.83 ± 3.51 years; body mass index, 24.09 ± 3.73 kg/m , respectively). Participants were evaluated during the landing maneuver before and after carrying out the high-intensity exercise bout using the Wingate test. The intensity of the exercise was defined as a blood lactate accumulation of at least 4 mmol/L. The dependent variables included sagittal-plane kinematics and kinetics of the ankle, knee and hip joints, and electromyography activity of the gastrocnemius, hamstrings, quadriceps, and gluteus maximus. On 2 × 2 analysis of variance, none of the dependent variable showed significant exercise×group interactions. Regardless of group, significant main effects of exercise were found. Post-exercise landing was characterized by increased flexion of hip (p = 0.01), knee (p = 0.001), and ankle joints (p = 0.002); increased extension moments of hip (p = 0.009), knee (p = 0.012), and ankle joints (p = 0.003), as well as decreased quadriceps activity (p = 0.007). At 1 year or more post-ACLR, the effect of the high-intensity exercise bout on landing biomechanics is not expected to differ from that experienced by healthy soccer players.