Comparing landing mechanics after a spike by division ii front row volleyball players

With the growing popularity of the sport of volleyball, there are concerns of lower extremity injuries in front-row players. Different landing mechanics experienced by the three front row positions give insight into possible causes of common injuries of players. Twelve female Division II collegiate volleyball players participated in this study. Each player performed eighteen trials of spiking a volleyball in both game-like and nongame-like situations from all three front-row positions. F-scan pressure insoles were used measure ground reaction forces during landing. Players showed greater peak ground reaction force and loading rate on their left lower limb. Both variables tended to be greatest during attacks from the outside hitter position. This may explain why outside hitters experience more lower limb injuries than other positions.