Dynamic Knee Valgus and Lower Limb Muscle Synergy in Male Volleyball Players during Drop Landing
S. Ilbeigi, M. Yousefi, A. Jafari
Abstract: Objective: Dynamic knee valgus is a frequent contributing factor to acute injuries and overuse issues in the lower extremities. This study aimed to examine the synergy of lower limb muscles in healthy male volleyball players and those with dynamic knee valgus. Materials and methods: The study's population included all male volleyball players in Tehran, aged 25 to 38, with at least two years of experience. The sample comprised 26 individuals, 13 with normal knee structure and 13 with dynamic knee valgus. These groups were purposefully formed based on predefined criteria. The participants underwent a drop-landing test from a 40 cm box, with measurements taken for the Tibialis Anterior, Medial Gastrocnemius, Rectus Femoris, Vastus Medialis, Vastus Lateralis, Medial Hamstring, and Lateral Hamstring muscles using a NORAXON model electromyography device. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test validated the normality of data distribution, while an independent t-test (p≤0.05) compared individual characteristics and muscle activation patterns between the two groups. Results: muscle synergy in the selected muscles did not yield a significant difference between two groups, however, a significant variance was only observed in the activation of the Medial Gastrocnemius muscle among the muscle recruitment pattern variables for the two groups. Discussion: a notable distinction was observed in the muscle recruitment pattern of the Medial Gastrocnemius muscle in healthy and those with dynamic knee valgus. The preactivation of the Gastrocnemius muscle may impose restrictions on ankle dorsiflexion, consequently prompting compensatory movements involving ankle eversion, foot pronation, and tibial internal rotation. These compensatory movements may, in turn, promote excessive inward movement of the knee in the frontal plane, leading to dynamic knee valgus. Conclusion: This study found no significant differences in the activity of most lower limb muscles between male volleyball players with and without dynamic knee valgus. However, a statistically significant difference was observed in the recruitment pattern of the medial gastrocnemius muscle. This finding suggests that altered activation timing of the medial gastrocnemius may contribute to compensatory movements associated with dynamic knee valgus, highlighting its potential role in injury risk.
Series on Biomechanics, Vol.39, No.1(2025), 39-47
DOI: 10.7546/SB.04.03.2025
Keywords: drop landing; knee valgus; lower extremity; muscle synergy; volleyball players
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| Date published: 2025-10-28
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