Abstract
Female runners are reported to be more prone to develop specific knee joint injuries
than males. It has been suggested that increased frontal plane joint loading might
be related to the incidence of these knee injuries in running. The purpose of this
study was to evaluate if frontal plane knee and hip joint kinematics and kinetics
are gender-specific in runners with high mileage. 3D-kinematics and kinetics were
recorded from 16 female and 16 male runners at a speed of 3 m/s, 4 m/s, and 5 m/s.
Frontal plane joint angles and joint moments were ascertained and compared between
genders among speed conditions. Across all speed conditions, females showed increased
hip adduction and reduced knee adduction angles compared to males (p<0.003). The initial
peak in the hip adduction moment was enhanced in females (p=0.003). Additionally,
the hip adduction impulse showed a trend towards an increase in females at slow running
speed (p=0.07). Hip and knee frontal plane joint kinematics are gender-specific. In
addition, there are indications that frontal plane joint loading is increased in female
runners. Future research should focus on the relationship of these observations regarding
overuse running injuries.
Key words
patellofemoral pain - kinematics - women - men