M Lamontagne — Page 2 | Search PubMed

PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of Alpine ski boot cuff release on knee joint force during the backward fall.

The modern rigid alpine ski boot has been associated with an increase in severe knee joint injuries. A new design that allows the rear portion of the upper cuff of the boot (rear spoiler) to open when a posterior directed force is applied to it (similar to when a skier falls back on the ski) is investigated. Motion analysis was combined with kinetic measures to estimate the shear and compressive forces at the knee joint using a link-segment model while subjects fell backward to provoke ski boot cuff release. The rear spoiler opening was found to reduce anterior cruciate ligament directed shear force while increasing compressive force at the joint. We conclude that both compressive force and reduced anterior cruciate directed shear force have been associated with protective mechanisms at the knee joint. This occurred over a very brief period of time, however, and the influence this may have on knee injury prevention is discussed.

Accidental Falls↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Electromyographic activity in expert downhill skiers using functional knee braces after anterior cruciate ligament injuries.

We studied six expert downhill skiers who had sustained anterior cruciate ligament injuries and had different degrees of knee instability. The aim was to measure possible changes in electromyographic activity recorded from lower extremity muscles during downhill skiing in a slalom course without and with a custom-made brace applied to the injured knee. Surface electrodes were used with an eight-channel telemetric electromyographic system to collect recordings from the vastus medialis, biceps femoris, semimembranosus, semitendinosus, and gastrocnemius medialis muscles from both legs. Without the brace, the electromyographic activity level of all muscles increased during knee flexion. The biceps femoris muscle was the most activated and reached 50% to 75% of the maximal peak amplitude. With the brace, the electromyographic activity increased in midphase during the upward push for the weight transfer and the peak activity occurred closer to knee flexion in midphase. Also, the uninjured knee was influenced by the brace on the injured leg, a decrease in electromyographic activity was seen in midphase. Spearman's rank correlation revealed a significant correlation between an increase in biceps femoris activity of the injured leg and increasing knee instability. We suggest that the brace caused an increased afferent input from proprioceptors, resulting in an adaptation of motor control patterns secondarily modifying electromyographic activity and timing.

Adult↗