Deceleration in sports: a valuable skill but with high risk of injury

The majority of acute non-contact lower limb injuries are caused by unsuccessfully decelerating the body from moving in a certain direction, for example whilst side stepping or landing from a jump. Being able to decelerate is equally valuable as being able to accelerate. Decelerating the body without imposing its structures to high and potentially damaging loads, however, involves sufficient muscular capacity and also adequate neuromuscular control. Quantifying adequate neuromuscular control has been a challenge in the past, but recent technological developments and scientific insights now are starting to provide the means to evaluate its role in lower limb injury risk. Biomechanics as a discipline now more than ever allows us to gain detailed insight into the loading of lower limbs during highly dynamic tasks involving deceleration. The aim of the research project is to evaluate how lower limb loading of joints and musculature relates to deceleration as a skill and an inherent part of sports performance.