Neuromuscular Characteristics of Division I Collegiate Female Athleties

This study investigated differences in movement technique and ankle range of motion in female collegiate basketball, soccer, and volleyball athletes and the potential need to customize injury prevention programs athletes based on sport-based differences. Forty-five collegiate female athletes volunteered to participate in this study (age=20 ± 2 years, mass=68.7 ±11.1kg, height=171.6 ±9.4cm). Athletes were members of a university basketball, soccer, or volleyball team. Ankle dorsiflexion range of motion was measured in non-weight bearing in knee extension, non-weight bearing in knee flexion, and weight bearing lunge test. A jump-landing task was scored using the Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) was also performed. We did not observe a significant difference between sports for the composite LESS score (P\u3e 0.05). A greater proportion of basketball participants exhibited the “knee flexion at initial contact” error than the two other sports (P=0.043). There were no significant differences between ACL or ankle injury history and LESS score or ankle ROM (P\u3e0.05). Participants with less than five degrees of NWB-KF ankle dorsiflexion had significantly higher LESS scores (P=0.001). Twenty-two of forty-five participants exhibited with high injury risk scores, as measured by the Landing Error Scoring System. The findings reveal an association between less ankle dorsiflexion and poor lower body movement patterns. These results indicate the potential importance of incorporating ankle mobility exercises in training programs for collegiate female athletes to decrease the incidence of lower extremity injury