A comparative study of q angle and muscle activation during vertical jump among sportspersons

Abstract

The quadriceps angle (Q angle), is formed between the quadriceps muscles and the patella tendon, is an important factor in the biomechanical performance or the knee joint. It is also considered a crucial factor for the proper posture and movement of the knee patella. Similarly, gastrocnemius and Tibialis anterior muscles play an important role in propelling the body upwards during vertical jump. This study had been conducted to measure the normal Q angle values among various male and female sportspersons and analyse the correlation between Q angle values and the muscle activation of Gastrocnemius and Tibialis Anterior during vertical jump. This Study was conducted on 15 males and 15 females of varied sport. It was found that Q angle was greater in young women than young men. The muscle activation of gastrocnemius and Tibilais anterior muscles was done using Delsys Trigno Avanti SeMG sensors and the data analysed using software Labchart 8 from AD Instruments, USA. A significant difference was found between the activation of males and females as well as correlation between Q angle and muscle activation.