Effects of Modifiable Footwear Features on Anterior Cruciate Ligament Force in Young Females during a Drop-Lateral-Jump Task

Abstract

PURPOSE: Aberrant lower limb biomechanics of young females contribute to elevated knee loads and a susceptibility to noncontact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Specific design features of athletic footwear may alter impact-related loads transferred up the kinetic chain to the knee. This cross-sectional biomechanical study examined the effects of modifiable footwear design features (heel height/pitch and medial arch support) on ACL force-time parameters of females during single-limb landing. METHODS: Fifty-two healthy late/postpubertal females (Tanner stage IV-V) performed a single-limb drop-lateral-jump task in nine footwear conditions, with different combinations of shoe pitch (4, ..