Date of Award

Spring 2013

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Human Movement Sciences

Program/Concentration

Human Movement Sciences

Committee Director

Bonnie L. Van Lunen

Committee Member

Daniel M. Russell

Committee Member

Michelle C. Boling

Abstract

Patellofemoral joint pain (PFP) is one of the most common afflictions of the active population. While etiological factors encompassing the entire lower extremity have been associated with PFP, participation in athletic activities while fatigued may further influence abnormal biomechanics in individuals with this condition. The aim of Project I was to investigate the lower extremity (LE) biomechanics during a single leg(SL) drop landing in individuals with and without PFP. Project II aimed to investigate the LE biomechanics of individuals with PFP during a SL drop landing pre and post an aerobic exercise protocol. Project 111 investigated the LE biomechanics of individuals with PFP during a SL drop landing pre and post an isolated hip abduction fatigue protocol.

Twenty-two physically active individuals(11 PFP, 11 control) participated in Project I. Participants performed SL drop landings from three heights(20, 30, and 40cm). Eleven physically active individuals with PFP participated in Project II. Participants performed SL drop landings at three heights, pre and post an aerobic exercise protocol. Twenty physically active individuals with PFP participated in Project III. Participants in this study performed SL drop landings from three heights pre and post an isolated hip abduction fatigue protocol. Three-dimensional kinematics and kinetics were recorded and assessed using 2x3 repeated measure ANOVAs(P≤0.05) in all projects.

For Project I, the results demonstrated that individuals with PFP landed with less knee flexion(-48.43±7.16°) compared to the control group(-56.43±7.16°)(P=0.017) at the instance of maximum knee flexion(MaxKF) suggests that the PFP group employ a stiffer landing pattern and may not attenuate the forces imposed on the LE as well as a healthy individual. In Project II, an increase in knee flexion at MaxKF was demonstrated in the post fatigue landings(-50.78±6.96°) compared to the pre fatigue landings(- 48.43±6.37°)(P=0.49) suggesting that individuals with PFP may demonstrate a decreased ability to control the forces of a SL landing due to fatigue. Project III, a decrease in hip external rotation moment was present following the fatigue protocol(Pre:0.25±0.12Nm, Post;0.28±0.10Nm;P=0.047) at MaxKF despite this result, project III does not support a significant link between altered LE biomechanics during SL landings following an isolated hip abduction fatigue protocol.

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DOI

10.25777/re55-fg96

ISBN

9781303166211

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Biomechanics Commons

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