Kinematic assessment of the dominant and non-dominant legs at initial contact: Implications for lower limb injury risk during spike and block landings in professional volleyball players

Purpose of the study: Jump landings after spike and block jumps in volleyball are among the primary contributors to lower limb injuries, particularly involving the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Understanding kinematic differences between these two common landing scenarios can enhance injury prevention strategies. The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences in lower limb landing kinematics between spike and block jumps, as well as between the dominant and non-dominant legs, in professional volleyball players.

Methods: Twenty-seven elite male volleyball players performed spike and block jumps over a standard net (2.43 m). Three-dimensional lower limb joint angles at initial contact (IC) were recorded using a motion capture system (200 Hz) synchronized with force plates (1000 Hz). Jump height was also measured. Paired t-tests compared joint angles between spike and block landings and between dominant and non-dominant legs (p ≤ 0.05).

Results: Spike jumps resulted in significantly higher jump heights compared to block jumps (p = 0.002). At initial contact, spike landings demonstrated significantly less knee and hip flexion, greater ankle plantarflexion, and a higher degree of non-dominant knee valgus compared to block landings. No significant inter-limb differences were found during block landings; however, spike landings showed significant asymmetries, with the non-dominant leg exhibiting riskier knee alignment and reduced flexion compared to the dominant leg.

Conclusion: Spike landings involve biomechanically riskier patterns than block landings, particularly in the non-dominant leg, potentially elevating ACL injury risk. Coaches should emphasize balanced lower-limb strength, enhanced knee and hip flexion during landing, and targeted neuromuscular training to mitigate these landing asymmetries.

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