Biomechanical Characteristics of Single Leg Jump in Collegiate Basketball Players Based on Approach Technique

Our study investigated the characteristics of the biomechanics of lower extremities during running single leg jump (RSJ) in collegiate basketball players. Twelve division III male basketball players voluntarily participated in this study. They performed three trials of the running single leg jump with two approach speeds (fast and preferred) randomly. The kinematic data were collected by motion analysis system (200 Hz), and kinetic data were collected using the AMTI force platform (1000 Hz), and electromyography (EMG) data were recorded by the Delsys surface Electromyography (EMG) system (2000 Hz). Kinematic, kinetic and EMG signal were synchronized using EvaRT 4.6. Peak Ground reaction force, eccentric loading rate (ELR), gastrocnemius (GA) of pre-activation phase, and tibialis anterior (TA) of push-off phase were found significantly larger in the fast approach speed (p < 0.05). RSJ improves muscle activation level and stretch reflex. Higher activation of TA and GA during RSJ may have the benefit of decreasing risk of injury and jump training. Thus, it is helpful in muscle stretch adaptation.