Female intercollegiate basketball players experience a three times greater rate of ACL injuries than their male counterparts. This investigation hypothesized that women and men perform the cutting maneuver differently with respect to ground reaction forces and knee range of motion.The subjects performed a ninety degree cut on a force platform while being video taped. The male subjects exhibited a 23.1 percent greater (p=.0167) knee flexion angle than did the female subjects. The female subjects exhibited a 25.5 percent greater (p=.0022) braking force than did the male subjects. The impact maximum was not statistically significant (p=.3290).The performance characteristics exhibited by the female subjects in this study would suggest that the cutting maneuver is more dangerous for female basketball player. Female athletes should be taught correct performance of the cutting maneuver. I addition to technique, strength training should be encouraged to develop a stronger secondary stabilization mechanism for the knee. / School of Physical Education

[Truncated abstract] Anterior cruciate ligament injuries are a major problem in sport. The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the causative factors of ACL injuries and to study the effect of various types of lower-limb training on underlying neuromuscular mechanisms involved in stabilisation and risk of ACL injury. Investigation of the mechanisms was conducted on controlled balance and strength tests as well as in sporting manoeuvres. It was aimed to assess if the neuromuscular changes map over into the performance of sporting manoeuvres and if potential for loading on the ACL and risk of injury was reduced or exacerbated . . . ACL strain can be decreased through reduction in the applied loads and greater knee flexion. Further to this, muscle activation has the ability to reduce loading on the ACL through co-contraction and selective activation patterns. This thesis demonstrated differing neuromuscular adaptations from various training types that map over into the performance of sporting manoeuvres. The research indicated that the Balance-Training was the most favourable in reducing potential for injury risk on the ACL. Alternatively strength training elicited neuromuscular changes that were likely to increase the risk of force on the ACL. The Machine+Balance training resulted in some negative and positive outcomes with the balance training tending to counteract the negative affects of machine weights training resulting in small improvements in muscular support and load reduction. This study provides us with better understanding of the underlying mechanisms from various training types and their potential affect on risk of ACL injury.

The problem of the study addressed knee injuries in college football. Imbalance of the musculature surrounding the knee would predispose the athlete to knee injury. Recognition of those who have muscular deficiencies would be a primary way of preventing knee injuries. The focus of the study was to determine if there was a significant difference in peak isokinetic torque of knee flexor and extensor muscles across speeds (60 degrees/second, 180 degrees/ second and 300 degrees/second) of a college football team subsequent to participation in a spring football season.