Effects of prophylactic knee bracing on patellar tendon loading parameters during functional sports tasks in recreational athletes

Abstract

Purpose This study investigated the efects of prophylactic knee bracing on patellar tendon loading parameters.
Methods Twenty recreational athletes (10 male and 10 female) from diferent athletic disciplines performed run, cut and
single leg hop movements under two conditions (prophylactic knee brace/no-brace). Lower extremity kinetics and kinematics
were examined using a piezoelectric force plate and three-dimensional motion capture system. Patellar tendon loading was
explored using a mathematical modelling approach, which accounted for co-contraction of the knee lexors. Tendon loading
parameters were examined using 2 (brace) × 3 (movement) × 2 (sex) mixed ANOVAs.
Results Tendon instantaneous load rate was signiicantly reduced in female athletes in the run (brace 289.14 BW/s no-brace
370.06 BW/s) and cut (brace 353.17 BW/s/no-brace 422.01 BW/s) conditions whilst wearing the brace.
Conclusions Female athletes may be able to attenuate their risk from patellar tendinopathy during athletic movements,
through utilization of knee bracing, although further prospective research into the prophylactic efects of knee bracing is
required before this can be clinically substantiated.