ORIGINAL PAPER
Sex variation in patellar tendon kinetics during running
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1
Centre for Applied Sport and Exercise Sciences, School of Sport Tourism and Outdoors, University of Central Lancashire,
United Kingdom
2
School of Psychology, University of Central Lancashire, United Kingdom
Online publication date: 2018-03-22
Hum Mov. 2015;16(2):60-63
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Purpose:
The aim of the current investigation was to determine whether female recreational runners exhibit distinct patellar tendon loading patterns in relation to their male counterparts.
Methods:
Twelve male (age 26.55 ± 4.11 years, height 1.78 ± 0.11 m, mass 77.11 ± 5.06 kg) and twelve female (age 26.67 ± 5.34 years, height 1.67 ± 0.12 m, mass 63.28 ± 9.75 kg) runners ran over a force platform at 4.0 m • s–1. Lower limb kinematics were collected using an eight-camera optoelectric motion capture system which operated at 250 Hz. Patellar tendon loads were examined using a predictive algorithm. Sex differences in limb, knee and ankle joint stiffness were examined statistically using independent samples t tests.
Results:
The results indicate that patellar tendon force (male = 6.49 ± 2.28, female = 7.03 ± 1.35) and patelllar tendon loading rate (male = 92.41 ± 32.51, female = 111.05 ± 48.58) were significantly higher in female runners.
Conclusions:
Excessive tendon loading in female runners indicates that female runners may be at increased risk of patellar tendon pathologies.