Sex differences in lower extremity kinematics during overhead and single leg squat tests

The Overhead Squat (OHS) and Single-Leg Squat (SLS) are two clinical tests used by practitioners to identify high-risk biomechanical movement patterns. Several published studies have reported sex differences in SLS performance; however, few have investigated variations during the OHS and none has measured kinematics with a marker-less motion capture system. Therefore, this study aimed to compare biomechanical movement patterns between male and female collegiate athletes during OHS and SLS testing. Seventy-five females and 58 male athletes completed OHS and SLS . A Microsoft Kinect sensor using Athletic Movement Assessment software (PhysiMax (R)) was used to measure kinematics. For the OHS, males displayed greater peak knee frontal plane projection angles (FPPA) (M:26 degrees +/- 10 degrees, F:20 degrees +/- 8 degrees; P < 0.05), peak hip flexion (M:-94 degrees +/- 14 degrees, F:-87 degrees +/- 15 degrees; P < 0.05), and peak trunk flexion angles (M:11 degrees +/- 11 degrees, F:6 degrees +/- 9 degrees; P < 0.05). For the SLS (dominant-limb), males displayed greater peak trunk flexion (M:32 degrees +/- 6 degrees, F:27 degrees +/- 7 degrees; P < 0.05). For the non-dominant limb, females displayed greater peak knee FPPA (F:-12 degrees +/- 9 degrees, M:-8 degrees +/- 9 degrees; P < 0.05) whereas males displayed greater peak trunk flexion angles (M:32 degrees +/- 5 degrees, F:27 degrees +/- 7 degrees; P < 0.05). These findings suggest the need for practitioners to develop sex-specific corrective exercise programmes in effort to improve lower extremity kinematics in athletes.