JOINT MOTION AND STIFFNESS REGULATION OF THE KNEE JOINT IN CHOICE REACTION SIDESTEP CUT TASKS

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the difference of the neuromuscular motor control of the knee joint for sidestep cut performance under two different conditions. A VICON motion analysis system using 12 cameras (250Hz) and a force plate (1kHz) were used to determine the knee joint kinematics and kinetics of 6 subjects during sidestep cut performed under the choice reaction tasks. The reaction signal was displayed 1.8m before the force plate centre (B1.8M) or 0.9m before FP centre (B0.9M). In the accelerating phase, knee extension positive power tended to be greater under B1.8M than B0.9M. The results of this study suggested that the greater stiffness during the decelerating phase in the B1.8M condition causes the greater knee extension power during acceleration.