I am looking into measureable ways to show improvements in strength and power in the hip external rotators, as increasing strength in this musculature has shown to prevent or repair knee valgus (knock knees). Knee valgus characterizing medial collapse might be associated with knee injuries 1,4,5. It has been shown that increasing strength in the hip and hamstrings combine to show significant injury prevention qualities for patellofemoral, IT and ACL type injuries 1,2,3. In addition the Leetun Study, showed that athletes who did not sustain an injury were
significantly stronger in their hip abduction and hip external rotation muscles hip external rotation strength was the best predictor of injury 6.
With this in mind I am going to track the effect on landing/deceleration from a shallow depth jump effect on knee valgus compared with distance improvement on measurements of a maximal lateral broad jump or lateral bound. Because the lateral bound is explosive, compound (using the entire leg but emphasizing the external rotators) I think it is a real world way to look at hip strength and power improvements and how they may effect lower body biomechanics
1. Clin J Sport Med. 2000;10:169-175.treatment programs incorporating exercises designed to address hip impairments have demonstrated positive short- and long-term outcomes on knee injuries.
2. Ferber R, Davis IM, Williams DS. Gender differences in lower extremity mechanics
during running. Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon). 2003;18:350–357.
3. Markolf KL, Burchfield DM, Shapiro MM, Shepard MF, Finerman GA, Slauterbeck
JL. Combined knee loading states that generate high anterior cruciate ligament forces.
J Orthop Res. 1995;13:930–935
4.Nakagawa TH, Muniz TB, Baldon Rde M, Dias Maciel C, de Menezes Reiff RB, Serrao FV. The effect of additional strengthening of hip abductor and lateral rotator muscles in patellofemoral pain syndrome: a randomized controlled pilot study. Clin Rehabil. 2008;22:1051-1060. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0269215508095357
5. Powers CM. The influence of altered lower-extremity kinematics on patellofemoral
joint dysfunction: a theoretical perspective. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2003;33:
639–646.
6. Leetun D, Ireland M, Wilson J, Ballantyne B, Davis I.
Core Stability Measures as Risk Factors for Lower Extremity Injury in Athletes
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
Official Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine
Volume 36(6), June 2004, pp 926-934
