A functional agility short-term fatigue protocol changes lower extremity mechanics

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a functional agility fatigue protocol on lower extremity biomechanics between two unanticipated tasks (stop-jump and sidestep). The subjects consisted of fifteen female collegiate soccer athletes (19+/-0.7 years, 1.67+/-0.1 m, 61.7+/-8 kg) free of lower extremity injury. Participants performed five trials of stop-jump and sidestep tasks. A functional short-term agility protocol was performed, and immediately following participants repeated the unanticipated running tasks. Lower extremity kinematic and kinetic values were obtained pre and post fatigue. Repeated measures analyses of variance were conducted for each dependent variable with an alpha level set at 0.05. Knee position post-fatigue had increased knee internal rotation (11.4+/-7.5 degrees vs. 7.9+/-6.5 degrees p = 0.011) than pre-fatigue, and a decreased knee flexion angle (-36.6+/-6.2 degrees vs. -40.0+/-6.3 degrees, p = 0.003), as well as hip position post-fatigue had decreased hip flexion angle (35.5+/-8.7 degrees vs. 43.2+/-9.5 degrees, p = 0.002). A quick functional fatigue protocol altered lower extremity mechanics of Division I collegiate soccer athletes during landing tasks. Proper mechanics should be emphasized from the beginning of practice/game to aid in potentially minimizing the effects of fatigue in lower extremity mechanics.