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Vertical stiffness asymmetries during drop jumping are related to ankle stiffness asymmetries

  • S. J. Maloney
    ,
  • J. Richards
    ,
  • D. G.D. Nixon
    ,
  • L. J. Harvey
    ,
  • I. M. Fletcher
  • University of Bedfordshire
Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Open access

Abstract

Asymmetry in vertical stiffness has been associated with increased injury incidence and impaired performance. The determinants of vertical stiffness asymmetry have not been previously investigated. Eighteen healthy males performed three unilateral drop jumps during which vertical stiffness and joint stiffness of the ankle and knee were calculated. Reactive strength index was also determined during the jumps using the ratio of flight time to ground contact time. ‘Moderate’ differences in vertical stiffness (t17 = 5.49; P < 0.001), ‘small’ differences in centre of mass displacement (t17 = -2.19; P = 0.043) and ‘trivial’ differences in ankle stiffness (t17 = 2.68; P = 0.016) were observed between stiff and compliant limbs. A model including ankle stiffness and reactive strength index symmetry angles explained 79% of the variance in vertical stiffness asymmetry (R2 = 0.79; P < 0.001). None of the symmetry angles were correlated to jump height or reactive strength index. Results suggest that asymmetries in ankle stiffness may play an important role in modulating vertical stiffness asymmetry in recreationally trained males.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Original language

English

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 661-669 (9 pages)

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports (Volume 27, Issue 6)

Publication milestones

  • Published - 31/03/2016

Publication status

Published - 31/03/2016

ISSN

0905-7188

External Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/622076
  • Scopus: 84963599521
  • PubMed: 27037793

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