British Journal of Sports Medicine 2008;42:561-566
REVIEWS
The effects of age and skill level on knee musculature co-contraction during functional activities: a systematic review
1 Sports Medicine Biodynamics Center and Human Performance Laboratory, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinatti, Ohio, USA
2 Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion and Biodynamics Laboratory, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
3 Department of Biomedical Engineering, Orthopaedic Research Center, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
4 Graduate Program in Athletic Training, Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, Provo, Utah, USA
5 Departments of Pediatrics and Orthopaedic Surgery, College of Medicine and the Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Dr K R Ford, Sports Medicine Biodynamics Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, 3333 Burnet Ave, MLC 10001, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; kevin.ford{at}cchmc.org
Objectives: To systematically review the current literature that relates the effects of age and skill level to motor control patterns of knee musculature co-contraction during functional movements.
Methods: A search of electronic databases was performed with the search terms specifying co-contraction (cocontract*, co-contract*, coactive* or co-activ*). The search was focused on the effects age and/or skill level and were limited by the keywords of age or skill level (skill*) or experience (experi*).
Results: The search yielded a total of six peer-reviewed manuscripts that met the search criteria and were included in the review.
Conclusions: The relationship between adequate dynamic joint stability and efficient movement patterns are complex. Co-contraction related to age and skill development varies among studies due to technical and practical considerations. Adequate antagonistic co-contraction of hamstring musculature seems to be a component of all functional movements, possibly maintain dynamic knee stability and protect against excessive joint loads. Future investigations that further delineate the appropriate lower extremity agonist and antagonist relationships during dynamic tasks may help elucidate injury risk mechanisms in specific populations.
CiteULike 
Complore 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us 
Digg 
Reddit 
Technorati What's this?
- Full Text
- Full Text (PDF)
-
All Versions of this Article:
bjsm.2007.044883v1
bjsm.2007.044883v2
42/7/561 most recent - Submit a response
- Alert me when this article is cited
- Alert me when eLetters are posted
- Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
- Email this link to a friend
- Similar articles in this journal
- Similar articles in PubMed
- Add article to my folders
- Download to citation manager
- Request Permissions
Citing Articles
Google Scholar
PubMed
Bookmark with
Register for free content
The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.
Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.
