Volitional Spine Stabilization During a Drop Vertical Jump From Different Landing Heights: Implications for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury

Volitional preemptive abdominal contraction (VPAC) during dynamic activities may alter trunk motion, but the role of the core musculature in positioning the trunk during landing tasks is unclear. To determine whether volitional core-muscle activation incorporated during a drop vertical jump alters lower extremity kinematics and kinetics, as well as trunk and lower extremity muscle activity at different landing heights. Controlled laboratory study. Clinical biomechanics laboratory. Thirty-two young healthy adults, consisting of 17 men (age = 25.24 ± 2.88 years, height = 1.85 ± 0.06 m, mass = 89.68 ± 16.80 kg) and 15 women (age = 23.93 ± 1.33 years, height = 1.67 ± 0.08 m, mass = 89.68 ± 5.28 kg). Core-muscle activation using VPAC. We collected 3-dimensional ankle, knee, and hip motions, moments, and powers; ground reaction forces; and trunk and lower extremity muscle activity during 0.30- and 0.50-m drop vertical-jump landings. During landing from a 0.30-m height, VPAC performance increased external oblique and semitendinosis activity, knee flexion, and knee internal rotation and decreased knee-abduction moment and knee-energy absorption. During the 0.50-m landing, the VPAC increased external oblique and semitendinosis activity, knee flexion, and hip flexion and decreased ankle inversion and hip-energy absorption. The VPAC performance during landing may protect the anterior cruciate ligament during different landing phases from different heights, creating a protective advantage just before ground contact and after the impact phase. Incorporating VPAC during high injury-risk activities may enhance pelvic stability, improve lower extremity positioning and sensorimotor control, and reduce anterior cruciate ligament injury risk while protecting the lumbar spine.