Immediate effects of a knee brace with a constraint to knee extension on knee kinematics and ground reaction forces in a stop-jump task

Abstract

Background: A small knee flexion angle in landing tasks was identified as a possible risk factor for noncontact anterior cruciate ligament injuries that are common in sports. Hypothesis: A specially designed knee brace with a constraint to knee extension would significantly increase the knee flexion angle at the landing of athletic tasks preceded with horizontal movement components, such as stop-jump tasks. Study Design: Repeated measure design for brace effects. Methods: Three-dimensional videographic and force plate data were collected for 10 male and 10 female recreational athletes performing a stop-jump task with and without the specially designed brace. Knee flexion angle at landing, maximum knee flexion angle, and peak ground reaction forces during the stance phase of the stop-jump task were determined for each subject with and without the knee brace. Results: The knee brace decreased the knee flexion angle at the landing by 5° for both genders but did not significantly affect the peak ground reaction forces during the landing. Conclusions: The specially designed knee brace may be a useful device in the prevention and rehabilitation of noncontact anterior cruciate ligament injuries in sports.