Does Psychological Readiness Affect Jump Biomechanics Across the Continuum of Care Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction?

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an athlete’s psychological readiness to return to sport on jump–landing biomechanics after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) at the time of return to sport testing and 6 weeks after returning to sport. The first aim of the study was to examine whether the level of psychological readiness would affect biomechanics of double–leg drop jump versus single–leg vertical jump at the time of return to sport following ACLR. The second aim was to examine whether psychological readiness would affect biomechanics of a double–leg drop jump and a single–leg vertical jump before and after returning to sports. At the time of return–to–sport testing following ACLR, participants completed the ACL–Return to Sport after Injury Scale (ACL–RSI) which was used to dichotomize them into the low and high ACL–RSI groups using 76.7 as a cut–off score. A 10–camera motion capture system synchronized with two force plates was used to collect kinetic data while participants performed a double–leg drop jump and a single–leg vertical jump at the time of return to sport and 6 weeks later. The limb symmetry indices (LSIs) between the involved limb and the uninvolved limb were calculated for lower extremity (LE) joint moments and ground reaction force (GRF). Repeated measures ANOVAs were performed to analyze the collected kinetic data with p < .05 for significance. The results of this study demonstrated greater asymmetry during a double–leg drop jump as compared to a single–leg vertical jump. Further, the results demonstrated a propensity for athletes to offload into the frontal and transverse planes during jump landings after ACLR. Overall, symmetry improved from the time of returning to sport to 6 weeks later. Finally, an athlete’s psychological readiness to return to play had minimal effects on loading at the knee during jumping tasks. However, psychological readiness had effects on overall ankle loading and vertical GRF symmetry during a double–leg drop jump but had no observable effects on single–leg vertical jump performance. Assessment of a double–leg jumping task demonstrates improved ability to identify asymmetries in LE joint loading in athletes who have undergone ACLR.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Physical Therapy

Grantor

Texas Woman's University

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Nadolny, Caitlin

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Wang-Price, Sharon

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Fiss, Alyssa
• Brizzolara, Kelli
• Goto, Shiho

• ACLR
• Psychological readiness
• Biomechanics
• Anterior cruciate ligament
• Junior high school athletes
• High school athletes
• Sports injuries

Language dc:language.iso

English

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/11274/17443

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:twu-ir.tdl.org:11274/17443