Comparing knee joint mechanics across phases of the menstrual cycle

Author

Bethany KilpatrickFollow

Graduation Date

Fall 2020

Document Type

Thesis

Program

Master of Science degree with a major in Kinesiology, option Exercise Science

Committee Chair Name

Dr. Justus Ortega

Committee Chair Affiliation

HSU Faculty or Staff

Second Committee Member Name

Dr. Amanda Hahn

Second Committee Member Affiliation

HSU Faculty or Staff

Third Committee Member Name

Dr. Whitney Ogle

Third Committee Member Affiliation

HSU Faculty or Staff

Fourth Committee Member Name

Dr. Taylor Bloedon

Fourth Committee Member Affiliation

HSU Faculty or Staff

Keywords

Biomechanics, Menstrual cycle, Ovulation, Luteal, Follicular, Torque, Flexion, Varus, Valgus, Angle, Force, Luteinizing Hormone, Kinesiology, Women's Studies, Period, Menstruation

Subject Categories

Kinesiology

Abstract

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are among the most commonly occurring knee injury. Compared to men in the same sports, females are two to eight times at higher risk for ACL injury. Research suggests that hormone fluctuations across the menstrual cycle (MC) play a crucial role in ACL injuries due to their effect on tendons and ligament's mechanical properties. PURPOSE: To examine knee joint laxity during dynamic movements across three-time points of the MC. METHODS: Seven young, healthy females with regular MCs performed three jump-landing tasks (double leg depth jump, single-leg lateral jump, and single-leg forward jump) across the early-follicular, ovulatory, and mid-luteal phases of the MC. Peak frontal and sagittal plane knee joint angles and moments were measured to assess joint stability during dynamic movements in each jump trial were analyzed. The researchers used an analysis of variance (ANOVA) to determine the effects of the menstrual cycle's phases on joint mechanics during each jump task. RESULTS: No significant change occurred in knee joint frontal or sagittal plane angles or moments across MC time points. CONCLUSION: In support of finding from prior studies, the researchers did not observe any changes in knee joint mechanics across the menstrual cycle phases, suggesting that MC hormonal fluctuations do not affect the knee joint's mechanical properties tendons and ligaments enough to cause changes in joint laxity. Future research should examine the specific relationships between measured hormone levels and knee joint mechanics during dynamic movements across the MC phases to assess these relations more accurately.

Citation Style

APA

Recommended Citation

Kilpatrick, Bethany, "Comparing knee joint mechanics across phases of the menstrual cycle" (2020). Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects. 451.
https://digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/etd/451