The kinematic/kinetic differences of the knee and ankle joint during single-leg landing between shod and barefoot condition

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury often occurs among athletes during single-leg landing. Wearing shoes could alter lower extremity kinematics and kinetics and affect the risk of ACL injury. This study aimed to investigate knee and ankle kinematics and kinetics during single-leg landing in shod and barefoot conditions. Nineteen males performed single-leg landings by stepping off a 0.3-meter platform in shod and barefoot conditions. Three-dimensional lower limb kinetics and kinematics were calculated using a force plate and motion analysis system. The present study found that the peak knee valgus moment (p=0.024), peak anterior tibial translation (ATT) (p=0.022), and peak knee flexion angle (p<0.01) are greater during shod landing. In addition, the peak ankle inversion (p<0.01), peak eversion moment (p=0.032), and peak eversion angular velocity (p<0.01) were higher during shod landing. In conclusion, the increased knee valgus moment and ankle eversion moment suggest that shod conditions increase the risk of ACL injury; however, higher ATT and knee flexion angle during shod landing were not associated with increased risk of ACL injury. Further, the higher ankle movement in the coronal plane during shod conditions appears to increase the risk of ankle injury.