Lower extremity joint moments of collegiate soccer players differ between genders during a forward jump.

CONTEXT: Lower extremity kinetics while performing a single-leg forward jump landing may help explain gender biased risk for noncontact anterior cruciate ligament injury.

OBJECTIVE: Gender comparison of lower extremity joint angles and moments.

DESIGN: Static groups comparison.

SETTING: Motion analysis laboratory.

PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: 8 male and 8 female varsity, collegiate soccer athletes.

INTERVENTION: 5 single-leg landings from a 100cm forward jump.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Peak and initial contact external joint moments and joint angles of the ankle, knee, and hip.

RESULTS: At initial heel contact, males exhibited a adduction moment whereas females exhibited a abduction moment at the hip. Females also had significantly less peak hip extension moment and significantly less peak hip internal rotation moment than males had. Females exhibited greater knee adduction and hip internal rotation angles than men did.

CONCLUSIONS: When decelerating from a forward jump, gender differences exist in forces acting at the hip.