Abstract
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is part of the knee joint injured during taekwondo kicking. However, few studies have investigated the ACL injury mechanism and its inherent risk factors. In this study, we compared the knee joint kinematics in the pivoting leg during eight typical taekwondo kicks (back, roundhouse, turning-back, hook, side, push, axe, and front kicks) to investigate the possible risk of ACL injury. Standard inverse dynamics analyses were used to calculate axial tibial rotation and knee joint varus-valgus moment using a musculoskeletal model of the lower extremity and a motion analysis system with six high-speed digital cameras and a force plate. The maximum values of internal tibial rotation and valgus moment in the pivot leg were investigated. In addition, the time interval when the internal rotation and/or valgus moment exceeded the upper limit of the safe region during the kicking was analyzed. The results revealed that most kicks had time intervals of excessive amounts of internal tibial rotation and/or knee valgus moment, which are related to the risk of ACL injury. Moreover, one particular kicking motion, the hook kick, has a relatively high ACL injury risk in the pivot leg compared to other kicking motions. We suggest that athletes and coaches be aware of these risky kicks.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1051-1056 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology |
| Volume | 36 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Feb 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2022, The Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
Keywords
- Anterior cruciate ligament
- Injury risk
- Kinematic analysis
- Motion analysis system
- Taekwondo kick