Are ankle mechanics during drop landings affected by two different measures of passive plantar-flexor flexibility and what are the effects of training. Implications for injury

The landing technique of 48 consenting males were analysed in the Biomechanics Research Laboratory at the University of Wollongong before and after a 6 week training intervention using a parallel assessor-blinded randomised trial. Three-dimensional kinematic (200 Hz) and ground reaction force (1000 Hz) data of the lower limb during single limb drop landing tasks from different take off heights (32 cm and 72 cm) were collected. Surface electromyographic activity of 4 lower limb muscles (tibialis anterior, soleus, medial gastrocnemius, and lateral gastrocnemius) was also collected during the landing tasks.