Effect of good and poor landing biomechanics on dynamic knee valgus and jumping performance in early adolescent female basketball players

This study aimed to investigate dynamic knee valgus (DKV) and jumping performance in adolescent female athletes with good and poor landing biomechanics. The study included healthy 52 adolescent female athletes aged between 10–14. Participants were divided into two groups based on LESS (Landing Error Scoring System) scores: poor landing technique group (PLTG) (LESS≤5, n=26) and good landing technique group (GLTG) (LESS>5, n=26). Knee valgus and jumping performance were evaluated with frontal plane projection angle (FPPA), and countermovement jump without arm swing test (CMJT), respectively. All demographic data of the groups were distributed homogeneously (p>0.05) except LESS scores (p=0.001; p<0.05). The LESS score for PLTG was 8.12±2.18, while for GLTG it was 3.19±0.98. All participants had a right-dominant lower extremity.  In FPPA and CMJT variables no significant difference was found between the groups (respectively p=0.111, p=0.547; p<0,05). Moreover, no significant correlations were found between LESS scores and FPPA (p=0.374; p>0.05) or CMJT (p=0.470; p>0.05). No difference was found in dynamic knee valgus or jump performance among early adolescent female basketball players with good or poor landing biomechanics.