Physiological coxa varus-genu valgus influences internal knee and ankle joint moments in females during crossover cutting.

This study evaluated the ankle and knee electromyographic, kinematic, and kinetic differences of 20 nonimpaired females with either neutral (group 1) or coxa varus-genu valgus (group 2) alignment during crossover cutting stance phase. Two-way mixed model ANOVA (group, session) assessed mean differences ( p<0.05) and correlation analysis further delineated relationships. During impact absorption, group 2 displayed earlier peak horizontal braking (anterior-posterior) ground reaction force timing, decreased and earlier peak internal knee extension moments (eccentric function), and earlier peak internal ankle dorsiflexion moment timing (eccentric function). During the pivot phase, group 2 displayed later and eccentrically-biased peak ankle plantar flexion moments, increased peak internal knee flexion moments (eccentric function), and later peak knee internal rotation timing. Correlation analysis revealed that during impact absorption, subjects with coxa varus-genu valgus alignment (group 2) displayed a stronger relationship between knee internal rotation velocity and peak internal ankle dorsiflexion moment onset timing ( r= -0.64 vs r = -0.26) and between peak horizontal braking ground reaction forces and peak internal ankle dorsiflexion moment onset timing ( r= 0.61 vs r= 0.24). During the pivot phase these subjects displayed a stronger relationship between peak horizontal braking ground reaction forces and peak internal ankle plantar flexion moment onset timing ( r= -0.63 vs r= -0.09) and between peak horizontal braking forces and peak internal ankle plantar flexion moments ( r= -0.72 vs r= -0.26). Group differences suggest that subjects with coxa varus-genu valgus frontal-plane alignment have an increased dependence on both ankle dorsiflexor and plantar flexor muscle group function during crossover cutting. Greater dependence on ankle muscle group function during the performance of a task that requires considerable 3D dynamic knee joint control suggests a greater need for frontal and transverse plane weight bearing tasks that facilitate eccentric ankle muscle group function to optimize injury prevention conditioning and post-surgical rehabilitation programs.