How to use a Tuck Jump Analysis to asses plyometric biomechanics
How to evaluate your patient's plyometric biomechanics
1) Is there medial knee collapse?
2) Can their knees reach parallel at the top of the jump?
3) Are the thighs equal side-to-side?
​4) Do they land with their feet shoulder-width apart?
5) Do they land with their feet parallel?
6) Do their feet land at the same time?
7) Do they land softly?
8) Do they pause between jumps?​
9) Can they jump for 10 seconds with good technique?
10) Do they land in the same place?
References:
​Myer GD, Ford KR, Hewett TE. Tuck Jump Assessment for Reducing Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Risk. Athl Ther Today. 2008 Sep 1;13(5):39-44. doi: 10.1123/att.13.5.39. PMID: 19936042; PMCID: PMC2779043.
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How to use the Landing Error Scoring System to assess bilateral biomechanics
How to evaluate your patient's bilateral biomechanics
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Is knee flexion more than 30 degrees?
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Is there any knee valgus?
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Is there trunk flexion?
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Is there lateral trunk flexion?
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Is there ankle plantar flexion on landing?
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What is their foot position on landing?
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What is the foot stance width?
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Are the feet symmetrical when landing?
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Is the knee flexion before jumping more than 45 degrees?
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Is there knee valgus before jumping?
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Does their trunk continue to flex as they land?
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Is there hip flexion?
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Do the hips continue to flex as they land?
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Is there joint displacement in the sagittal plane?
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What is your overall impression?
References:
Padua DA, DiStefano LJ, Beutler AI, de la Motte SJ, DiStefano MJ, Marshall SW. The Landing Error Scoring System as a Screening Tool for an Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury-Prevention Program in Elite-Youth Soccer Athletes. J Athl Train. 2015 Jun;50(6):589-95. PubMed PMID: 25811846. PMCID: PMC4527442. Epub 2015/03/26. eng.
Bell DR, Smith MD, Pennuto AP, Stiffler MR, Olson ME. Jump-landing mechanics after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a landing error scoring system study. J Athl Train. 2014 2014 Jul-Aug;49(4):435-41. PubMed PMID: 24905666. PMCID: PMC4151830. Epub 2014/06/06. eng.
Hanzlíková I, Hébert-Losier K. Is the Landing Error Scoring System Reliable and Valid? A Systematic Review. Sports Health. 2020 2020 Mar/Apr;12(2):181-8. PubMed PMID: 31961778. Epub 2020/01/21. eng.
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How to use a blindfold and joint repositioning to assess for neurological risk factors
How to evaluate for spacial awareness during a single-legged knee repositioning task
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Step 1: Blindfold the patient.
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Step 2: Choose an angle on your goniometer.
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Step 3: Position the patient's knee at that angle.
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Step 4: Tell the patient to bend their knee.
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Step 5: Check whether they can reposition their knee at that same angle again by themselves.
References:
Cooper RL, Taylor NF, Feller JA. A systematic review of the effect of proprioceptive and balance exercises on people with an injured or reconstructed anterior cruciate ligament. Research in sports medicine. 2005 Apr 1;13(2):163-78.
Riemann, B. L., & Lephart, S.M. (2002). The sensorimotor system, part 1: the physiological basis of functional joint stability. Journal of Athletic Training, 37(1),71-79.
Hung, Y. J. (2015). Neuromuscular control and rehabilitation of the unstable ankle. World Journal of Orthopedics, 6(5), page 434.
Blanche, E.I., Bodison, S., Chang, M.C., & Reinoso, G. (2012). Development of the Comprehensive Observations of Proprioception (COP): Validity, Reliability, and Factor Analysis. Am J Occup Ther. 66(6): 691–698. doi:10.5014/ajot.2012.003608.
Aman JE, Elangovan N, Yeh I, Konczak J. The effectiveness of proprioceptive training for improving motor function: a systematic review. Frontiers in human neuroscience. 2015 Jan 28;8:1075.
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How to use a scale to check for aberrant joint loading
How to evaluate for excessive or insufficient loading of the knee joint.
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Step 1: Place a scale under one foot of the patient or place a scale under each foot
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Step 2: Ask the patient to squat
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Step 3: Measure the weight when they are in the bottom position of the squat.
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Step 4: Repeat on the other side if you're testing one leg at a time
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Step 5: Compare the weight at the bottom position of the squat between the two legs
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Step 6: They should be within 10% of each other
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Example: Right leg 30.5 KG versus left leg 31.7 KG is within 10% of each other
References:
Metcalfe A, Stewart C, Postans N, Barlow D, Dodds A, Holt C, Whatling G, Roberts A. Abnormal loading of the major joints in knee osteoarthritis and the response to knee replacement. Gait Posture. 2013 Jan;37(1):32-6. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2012.04.018. Epub 2012 Jul 28. PMID: 22841587.
​Hayden F. Atkinson, Trevor B. Birmingham, Codie A. Primeau, Anthony A. Gatti, Rebecca F. Moyer, Jaques S. Milner, David W. Holdsworth, J. Robert Giffin,
Effect of functional knee loading on articular cartilage MRI T2 relaxation time and thickness in patients at risk for knee osteoarthritis,
Osteoarthritis Imaging,Volume 4, Issue 1,2024,100173,ISSN 2772-6541,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ostima.2024.100173.
​van Rossom S, Smith CR, Thelen DG, Vanwanseele B, Van Assche D, Jonkers I. Knee Joint Loading in Healthy Adults During Functional Exercises: Implications for Rehabilitation Guidelines. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2018 Mar;48(3):162-173. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2018.7459. Epub 2018 Jan 6. PMID: 29308697.
How to use video analysis to assess unilateral biomechanics
How to evaluate your patient's unilateral biomechanics
-
Is knee flexion more than 30 degrees?
-
Is there any knee valgus?
-
Is there trunk flexion?
-
Is there lateral trunk flexion?
-
Is there ankle plantar flexion on landing?
-
What is their foot position on landing?
-
Is the knee flexion before jumping more than 45 degrees?
-
Is there knee valgus before jumping?
-
Does their trunk continue to flex as they land?
-
Is there hip flexion?
-
Do the hips continue to flex as they land?
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Is there joint displacement in the sagittal plane?
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What is your overall impression?
References:
Tai WH, Wang LI, Peng HT. Biomechanical Comparisons of One-Legged and Two-Legged Running Vertical Jumps. J Hum Kinet. 2018 Oct 15;64:71-76. doi: 10.1515/hukin-2017-0185. PMID: 30429900; PMCID: PMC6231348.
Kotsifaki A, Van Rossom S, Whiteley R, Korakakis V, Bahr R, Sideris V, Jonkers I. Single leg vertical jump performance identifies knee function deficits at return to sport after ACL reconstruction in male athletes. Br J Sports Med. 2022 May;56(9):490-498. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2021-104692. Epub 2022 Feb 8. PMID: 35135826; PMCID: PMC9016240.
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