Lower limb biomechanics during drop vertical jump at different heights among university athletes.

Poor technique during landing might lead to increased risk of non-contact lower limb injuries. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of landing heights and gender on the lower limb mechanics during drop vertical jump among athletes. Thirty university athletes between the ages of 19 and 25, with healthy weight, screened for a normal range of dynamic knee valgus and train regularly three times weekly were recruited as participants for the study. The lower limbs joint angles and moments were compared across gender and landing heights (30 cm vs 45 cm) at three landing time-points (initial contact, maximum vertical ground reaction force, and maximum knee flexion). The findings indicated that no significant differences were observed in lower limb joint angles and moments at the sagittal and frontal planes across gender and landing heights. Meanwhile, a significant difference existed for knee extensor moment during maximum knee flexion (F(1.618,90.629) = 4.096, p = 0.027) across landing heights. landing heights and gender may not affect lower limb mechanics except for knee extensor moments during maximum knee flexion. Females with normal range of dynamic knee valgus may exhibit a safe landing technique hence a screening test is crucial to identify its presence among female athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]