The Effect of a Fatigue Program on the Kinematics of Lower Limb Joints in Basketball Players with Dynamic Knee Valgus Pattern in Various Positions.

The beginning of metabolic exhaustion may have an impact on the knee joint’s dynamic stability when playing sports, which could raise the risk of knee injury. The present study aimed to examine the effect of a fatigue program on the kinematics of lower limb joints in basketball players with a dynamic knee valgus pattern in various positions. In this study, 27 basketball players with dynamic knee valgus patterns were purposefully selected and divided into three groups: guard (mean age= 19.77±2.68 years, mean height= 177±4 cm, and mean weight= 63.40±5.10 kg), forwards (mean age= 20.22±2.90 years, mean height= 187±4 cm, and mean weight= 76.80± 2.94 kg) and centers (mean age= 22.33±3.27 years, mean height= 199±4 cm, and mean weight= 98.84±18.42 kg), within the age range of 16 to 26 years. To evaluate the angles of the lower limb in the sagittal and frontal planes, we used two digital cameras. We placed them at a distance of 366 centimeters and a height of 105 centimeters relative to the subject. The subjects performed three counter-movement jumps. We conducted the analysis using KINOVEA software. In this study, the fatigue protocol consisted of 40 minutes of basketball play, carried out legally and considering all rest periods. To compare the means of the research variables, we used mixed analysis of variance (2*3), one-way analysis of variance, and Bonferroni post hoc tests. We conducted all hypothesis tests at a significance level of 0.05 or less. The results showed that the application of the fatigue protocol during landing in the sagittal plane led to a significant decrease in the maximum knee flexion angle in the guard group (p= 0.035), initial ankle contact in the forward group (p= 0.044), initial ankle contact in the center group (p= 0.016), and maximum ankle plantar flexion in the center group (p= 0.018). In the frontal plane, the fatigue protocol also caused an increase in maximum knee valgus in the dominant leg of the center group (p= 0.039) and in the non-dominant leg of all three groups: guard (p= 0.019), forward (p= 0.002), and center (p= 0.009). Between-group comparison, there was a significant difference in initial hip joint contact between the guard and forward groups (p= 0.031) and maximum knee valgus of the dominant leg between the forward and center groups (p= 0.041). From alternative perspectives, researchers did not find any appreciable variations, though. The functional exhaustion employed in this study impacted a few factors related to the patient’s lower limb joints, according to the study's findings. The valgus angle of the non-dominant leg increased in all three groups, and the valgus angle of the dominant leg increased in the center group in the frontal plane. Guards and forwards frequently perform the lay-up movement during the game, which could contribute to this. In a lay-up, the last foot to leave the ground is the player’s non-dominant foot, which places more stress on it. On the other hand, center players often perform jumps and landings with both feet under the hoop in the paint area for rebounds, which could increase the valgus angle in both legs.