Kinematics and kinetics of knee and hip position of female basketball players during side-step cutting with and without dribbling

Knee injuries in females seem related to movements during sports-specific, high-risk activities such as cutting. Side-step cutting maneuver has been considered to be a factor related to non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. Our purpose of this study was to compare the knee loading and the hip position in the stance leg during a side-step cutting maneuver with and without dribbling while protecting the ball from a simulated defensive opponent. Thirteen recruited elite female basketball players were assessed in a randomized order to investigate three-dimensional kinematic and kinetic data by high-speed cameras. Results showed elite female basketball players that performed side-step cutting with dribbling exhibited a greater initial knee flexion angle (40.18 ± 9.50 vs. 34.54 ± 8.51 degrees; p = 0.004) and peak flexor moment (-1.12 ± 0.35 vs. -0.86 ± 0.38 N*m/Kg; p = 0.01), peak knee abduction angle (-8.48 ± 6.21 vs. -7.39 ± 5.26) degrees; p = 0.018) and peak abductor moment (-0.36 ± 0.61 vs. -0.10 ± 0.53 N*m/Kg; p = 0.02). The authors also found greater hip flexion angle and internal rotation angle during dibbling compared to non-dribbling tasks while the knee was in peak abduction, and in internal rotation. While the knee was in peak abduction angle, the hip flexion angle was 52.14 ± 10.33 vs. 60.77 ± 11.98; p = 0.00, and the hip internal rotation angle was 4.55 ± 6.61 vs. 6.39 ± 7.12; p = 0.00. Also, while the knee was in peak internal rotation angle, the hip flexion angle was 50.70 ± 8.84 vs. 58.52 ± 11.54; p = 0.00, and hip internal rotation angle was 6.46 ± 8.36 vs. 8.94 ± 7.63; p = 0.00. These findings suggest that female basketball players performing a side-step cutting maneuver with dribbling may experience a greater risk of non-contact ACL injury. This may warrant more task and sports-specific training in preventative programs for female basketball players to lower the risk of non-contact ACL injury.