Knee kinematics during a single-leg drop-landing in sports participants with chronic groin pain

Date
2014-04
Authors
Visser-Maritz, Karien
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Introduction: Groin injuries are among the top six injuries in contact sports and may lead to career ending chronic pain. Research on the role of knee kinematics in developing chronic groin pain in sport is scarce. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine if there are differences in knee kinematics during a single-leg drop-landing in sports participants with chronic groin pain compared to asymptomatic controls. Methodology: A descriptive study was conducted. Twenty active sports’ participants were recruited from soccer and rugby clubs situated around the Cape Peninsula area, Western Cape, South Africa. The three-dimensional (3D) knee kinematics of ten cases with chronic groin pain and ten asymptomatic controls was analysed. Knee kinematics was analysed in the FNB-3D Vicon Laboratory at Stellenbosch University, using an eight camera Vicon system. A positive adductor squeeze test was used as a diagnostic test to include cases with chronic groin pain. Each participant performed six single-leg drop landings. The main outcome measure was 3D knee kinematics at initial foot contact and at the lowest vertical position of the drop landing. The following sub-groups were analysed: seven unilateral groin pain cases compared to their seven matched controls; three bilateral groin pain cases where their most painful leg and least painful leg were compared to their matched controls, respectively. Descriptive statistical techniques were used for all outcome measures; means and standard deviations (SD) were calculated, followed by a Student’s t-test to determine significant differences between the cases and controls. For all outcomes with p-values equal to or below 0.05, the effect size was calculated using the Cohen’s D. Results: The findings of this study indicated a significant difference (p=0.0001) between cases with unilateral groin pain having less knee internal rotation compared to the controls at the lowest vertical position of the drop landing in the transverse plane. Significantly less internal rotation (p<0.0001), was also noted in the cases with bilateral groin pain (in the most painful leg and the less painful leg), although this was noted at foot contact. Cases with bilateral groin pain also had significantly (p<0.001) more knee varus (adduction) during the landing phase. Conclusion: Differences in knee kinematics between sports participants with chronic groin pain and asymptomatic controls were found. These findings imply that the knee joint should be included during assessment and rehabilitation of individuals suffering with chronic groin pain. Due to the cross-sectional study design of the current study, it cannot be stated for certain whether the knee kinematics noted in the groin pain group are causative or as a result of groin pain. Future prospective studies are thus recommended; these studies should focus on the effect of contralateral knee kinematics on the hip adductors and may include exploration of the muscular components during a single-leg drop landing.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Inleiding: Lies beserings is een van die top ses beserings in kontak sport en kan lei tot chroniese lies pyn en selfs die be-eindigging van ‘n sportloopbaan. Navorsing oor die rol van knie kinematika in die ontwikkeling van chroniese liesbeserings in sport is skaars. Doelwit: Die doel van hierdie studie was om te bepaal of daar verskille in die knie kinematika is tydens 'n enkel been val landing in sport deelnemers met chroniese lies pyn in vergelyking met gesonde kontroles. Metode: 'n Beskrywende studie was uitgevoer. Twintig aktiewe sport deelnemers is gewerf van rugby en sokker sportklubs geleë rondom die Kaapse Skiereiland, Wes-Kaap, Suid-Afrika. Die 3D knie kinematika van tien gevalle met chroniese lies pyn en tien asimptomatiese bypassende kontroles is ontleed. Knie kinematika was ontleed in die FNB-3D Vicon Laboratorium by die Universiteit van Stellenbosch, met behulp van 'n agt-kamera Vicon stelsel. 'n Positiewe Adduktor druk toets was gebruik as 'n diagnostiese toets om gevalle met chroniese lies pyn in te sluit. Om die knie kinematika te analiseer, het elke deelnemer ses enkel been val landings uitgevoer . Die belangrikste uitkomsmeting was 3D knie kinematika by die aanvanklike voet kontak en by die laagste vertikale posisie van die enkel-been val landing. Die volgende sub-groepe was ontleed: sewe unilaterale lies pyn gevalle in vergelyking met hul sewe bypassende kontroles; drie bilaterale lies pyn gevalle waar hul mees pynlike been, sowel as minder pynlike been onderskeidelik vergelyk was met hul bypassende kontroles. Beskrywende statistiese tegnieke was gebruik vir alle uitkoms maatreëls; gemiddeldes en standaardafwykings (SA) was bereken, gevolg deur 'n Studente’s t-toets om beduidende verskille tussen die gevalle en kontroles te bepaal. Vir al die uitkomste met p-waardes gelyk of onder 0.05, is die effekgrootte bereken deur die Cohen’s D. Resultate: Die bevindings van hierdie studie dui op 'n beduidende verskil (p=0,0001) tussen gevalle met unilaterale lies pyn met minder interne knie rotasie in vergelyking met die kontroles by die laagste vertikale posisie van die val landing in die dwars vlak. Aansienlik minder interne rotasie (p<0,0001), is ook opgemerk in gevalle met bilaterale lies pyn (in die mees pynlike been en die minder pynlik been), alhoewel tydens voet kontak. Gevalle met bilaterale lies pyn het ook betekenisvol (p <0.001) meer knie varus (adduksie) tydens die landingsfase gehad. Gevolgtrekking: Verskille bestaan in die knie kinematika tussen sport deelnemers met chroniese liesbesering pyn en gesonde kontroles. Hierdie bevindinge impliseer dat die knie behoort ingesluit te word tydens die assessering en rehabilitasie van individue met chroniese lies pyn. As gevolg van die deursnee-studie ontwerp van hierdie studie, kan dit nie bevestig word of die knie kinematika die oorsaak van die chroniese pyn is nie. Toekomstige voornemende studies word dus aanbeveel, hierdie studies moet fokus op die effek van die kinematika van die kontralaterale knie op die heup adduktore en kan moontlik die ondersoek van die spier kinetika tydens hierdie aktiwiteit insluit.
Description
Thesis (MScPhysio)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
Keywords
Dissertations -- Physiotherapy, Theses -- Physiotherapy, Groin -- Wounds and injuries, Kinematics, Soccer injuries, Rugby football injuries, Jumping -- Physiological aspects, Knee -- Movements, UCTD
Citation