Gender Difference in Lower Extremity Mechanical Energy during Stop Jump

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to examine the existence of gender differences in posture and mechanical energy transfer during stop jump (SJ) in healthy adults.

Methods: This study involved 15 healthy adult males and fourteen healthy adult females. Vicon was used to assess the leg joint angle, ground response force, segmental moment power, mechanical works (Positive Mechanical works: PMW, Negative mechanical works: NMW), and running speed during SJ. Biodex was used to quantify the muscle torque during maximal isometric contraction. We investigated the gender difference of each parameter and examined the correlation.

Results: As for the posture at the time of landing, females demonstrated considerably larger hip flexion angles, lower knee and ankle extension angles, and higher maximum posterior ground reaction force than males. In males and females, mechanical energy is transferred from the thigh to the pelvis, from the shanks to the foot segment, and at the knee joint, from each segment to the knee extensor muscles. NMW was substantially lower in the distal shanks in females than in males.

Conclusion: It was proposed that the shock absorption of the knee joint was reduced due to low knee extension muscle strength and large knee joint laxity in females and that the effect of landing could not be completely prevented.