Understanding differences between sex, leg and sport on ankle joint angles and moments during cutting and jumping movements

Ankle injuries are a frequent setback to athletes across a range of sports and identifying risk factors or groups at greater risk of injury is important in preventing such injuries. The purpose was to identify sex, leg and sport differences in ankle joint angles and moments during common athletic movements such as cutting and double and single leg drop jump landings. To understand biomechanical differences between court and field sport athletes, the focus was placed on four groups of athletes including male and female basketball and soccer players (N=60). The main findings included main effects for both sex and sport for all three movements, with males and basketball players displaying the greatest peak plantarflexion moments. There was also a main effect for leg dominance during single and double leg drop jumps for inversion/eversion angles at ground contact, suggesting that the dominant leg ankle may be at greater risk of injury.