Sex-Based Differences in Lower Extremity Kinematics During Dynamic Jump Landing Tasks After Neuromuscular Fatigue of the Hip Extensors and Knee Flexors

Abstract

Background: Neuromuscular fatigue can increase the activation of antagonist muscles, thereby reducing the moment produced by the agonist. During the deceleration phase of landing, hip extensor and knee flexor muscles contract eccentrically to counteract the external hip flexion moment. Decreased hip flexion is associated with greater knee extensor moments and risk of injury. Purpose: To investigate sex-based differences in kinematics and muscle activity after neuromuscular fatigue of the hip extensors and knee flexors during dynamic single-leg tasks. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: In this study, 9 female (age, 22.3 ± 3.4 years) and 7 male participants (age, 21.3 ± 2.6 years) completed the triple hop (THop) for distance and single-leg drop-jump (SJump) tasks before and after a fatigue protocol consisting of eccentric hip extension and knee flexion. Motion capture and electromyography were used to compare lower extremity kinematics and muscular activation between the sexes. Results: During the THop, neuromuscular fatigue resulted in significantly decreased maximum hip flexion angles ( P = .01), maximum knee flexion angles ( P = .039), and an effect of sex on all hip flexion angles, where both sexes saw decreased hip flexion postfatigue ( P = .033). A significant interaction of fatigue and sex on hip flexion angular velocity was observed during the SJump, indicating that men experienced an increase while women experienced a decrease in hip flexion angular velocities due to fatigue ( P = .03). Gluteus maximus activation was increased, and erector spinae activation was decreased postfatigue in women during the THop ( P = .053 and P = .023, respectively). Conclusion: Results indicate that men and women compensated differently after fatigue of the hip extensors and knee flexors. Clinical Relevance: Women more commonly assumed an erect landing posture associated with increased injury risk after fatigue of the hip extensors and knee flexors.