Motion analysis for ACL injuries prevention in sport: a systematic review

Reliability and Repeatability of ACL Quick Check®: A Methodology for on Field Lower Limb Joint Kinematics and Kinetics Assessment in Sport Applications

“…Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures represent one of the healthcare emergencies among sport injuries and have received much attention in recent years [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. ACL injury can be the cause of long-term disability and is one of the most frequent causes of loss of a sport season [ 4 , 5 ]. It is estimated that the incidence of ACL ruptures range from 30 to 78 per 100,000 person-years, and 61–83% of athletes successfully return to sports [ 2 , 6 ] typically 8–18 months after reconstruction and most of them perform similarly to uninjured athletes when compared at competing level [ 2 ].…”

“…It is estimated that the incidence of ACL ruptures range from 30 to 78 per 100,000 person-years, and 61–83% of athletes successfully return to sports [ 2 , 6 ] typically 8–18 months after reconstruction and most of them perform similarly to uninjured athletes when compared at competing level [ 2 ]. ACL injuries can occur from both non-contact and contact sports: among the noncontact sports, the most commonly cited are soccer, basketball, alpine skiing and gymnastics, while for the contact sports the highest injury rates are reported for football, rugby, wrestling and ice hockey [ 4 ]. From a biomechanical point of view, in the case of ligament injuries, the purpose of preventive strategies is aimed at reducing the stress placed through the ligament; moreover, in the case of reinjury, when the ligament, not necessarily, can withstand the same stress before failure [ 2 ].…”

“…Based on these considerations, evaluating lower extremity kinematics during deep squatting becomes relevant when addressing the topic of knee injuries, their prevention and their rehabilitation [ 4 , 13 , 14 , 15 ]. In fact, differences in lower extremity kinematics has been detected when comparing ACL-repaired athletes with non-injured controls [ 12 , 16 ].…”

“…Given the difficulties in reporting reliable and repeatable visual scoring, there is now a tendency to incorporate 2-D motion analysis software applications that are increasingly available [ 11 ]. However when sophisticated and research equipment are needed, in the majority of cases, this represents a barrier to using these screening methods in clinical practice during preseason physical examination [ 4 , 20 , 21 ]. To the best of the authors’ knowledge [ 4 ], with the adoption of motion analysis equipment, no studies were conducted with the purpose of assessing athletes for deciding upon their return to the field.…”

“…However when sophisticated and research equipment are needed, in the majority of cases, this represents a barrier to using these screening methods in clinical practice during preseason physical examination [ 4 , 20 , 21 ]. To the best of the authors’ knowledge [ 4 ], with the adoption of motion analysis equipment, no studies were conducted with the purpose of assessing athletes for deciding upon their return to the field. This is mainly associated with the complexity and the costly nature of this equipment.…”