bio mechanics kines 2508 ankles

Introduction

  • Speaker discusses the current health conditions, humorously mentioning a runny nose common among attendees.
  • Emphasizes that it’s a great time to live in South Louisiana.
  • Introduction of guest speaker, Doctor Thompson, who specializes in biomechanics.

Importance of Biomechanics

  • Overview of topics to be covered:
    • Definition of biomechanics.
    • Why biomechanics matters in practice.
    • Doctor Thompson's research focus and future goals.
    • Opportunity for audience questions.

Definition of Biomechanics

  • Biomechanics refers to:
    • The study of forces acting upon and within a living body and the effects produced by such forces.
    • Simplified as the physics of human movement.
  • Importance of physics in understanding movement.

Example: ESPN Sports Science

  • A breakdown of the 2016 Slam Dunk Contest:
    • Zach LaVine’s dunk had a power output 20% greater than LeBron James.
    • LaVine soared a distance equivalent to a typical four-door sedan.
    • Hang time of 0.89 seconds comparable to Michael Jordan's 1988 free throw line dunk.
    • Aaron Gordon's jump cleared a mascot and involved about 5% longer airtime than Jordan's.

Discussion on Ankle Injuries

  • Importance of addressing ankle injuries due to prevalence and impact on life quality.
  • Commonality of ankle injuries:
    • Ankle sprains can lead to chronic conditions.
    • Definitions provided for sprains:
    • A sprain is a stretching or tearing of ligaments (connect bones to bones).
    • Severity classification of sprains:
    • Grade 1: Separation.
    • Grade 3: Complete tear.
  • Prevalence:
    • Approximately 2 million ankle sprains occur annually in the U.S.
  • Consequence of injuries: Chronic Ankle Instability (CAI).

Chronic Ankle Instability (CAI)

  • Definition: Condition where the ankle repeatedly gives way after an initial sprain.
  • Statistics:
    • About 20% of individuals with an acute ankle sprain develop CAI.
    • This results in approximately 400,000 cases annually.
  • Long-term consequences include joint damage, such as osteoarthritis.
  • Types of CAI:
    • Mechanical Instability: Structural damage to the ankle.
    • Functional Instability: Balance deficits without structural damage.

Impact of Ankle Injuries on Lifestyle

  • Ankle injuries hinder participation in sports and physical activity.
    • Can lead to behavioral avoidance of sports and physical activities.
  • Associated health issues: Chronic injuries lead to a higher risk of conditions like diabetes and obesity.

Biomechanics Research in Ankle Injuries

  • Key research study outline:
    • Participants: 47 adults (24 with CAI, 23 healthy).
    • Task: Drop vertical jump from a 30 cm box, jumping to half their height.
  • Measures involved:
    • Kinematics: Joint angles and body shape.
    • Kinetics: Forces acting on the body during movement.
    • Electromyography (EMG): Muscle activity levels.
  • Vertical ground reaction force: Force exerted by the ground against the body measured in Newtons.
  • Importance of timing in landing mechanics:
    • Preparation phase, bracing phase, and propulsion phase.

Findings of the Study

  • CAI group's landing mechanics:
    • Less knee flexion, more ankle inversion.
    • Greater activity in peroneal muscles.
  • Torque definitions: Force multiplied by the moment arm; related to joint stability.
  • Need for normalizing body mass: To allow fair data analysis across subjects of differing sizes.
  • Implications of altered landing strategies:
    • Inversion could predispose to further injury over time.
  • Higher force and EMG activity in CAI group indicates compensatory strategies leading to inefficiencies in movement.

Recommendations for Prevention and Rehabilitation

  • Importance of rehabilitation focus on ankle mechanics and landing strategies.
  • Screening mechanisms to assess movement strategies effectively.
  • Preventative measures through training techniques and strengthening exercises to improve joint stability.
  • Using wearable technology for assessing balance and ankle mechanics.

Doctor Thompson's Future Work

  • Current research involves exploring ACL rehabilitation through:
    • Wearable sensors and EMG data.
    • Investigation of torque production across varying velocities post-ACL reconstruction.
  • Importance of primary and secondary prevention in ACL injuries, focusing on the female athlete's unique injury patterns and contributing factors.
  • Engagement with community for health initiatives and research studies.

Audience Interaction

  • Open floor for audience questions on topics discussed:
    • Concerns about prevention strategies for ankle injuries.
    • Insights into how lifestyle and biomechanics interact in physical activities.
  • Discussion of historically significant changes affecting female athletes and ACL injuries due to infrastructural and training disparities.