Acute Effect of Dynamic and Gluteal Resistance Exercise Warm-up Protocols on Jump Landing Mechanics in College-Aged Females

Rauseo, ML, Feairheller, DL, LaRoche, DP, and Cook, SB. Acute effect of dynamic and gluteal resistance exercise warm-up protocols on lower-extremity jump landing mechanics in college-aged females. J Strength Cond Res 38(2): 259-265, 2024-Inadequate neuromuscular control of the femur by the gluteal musculature is associated with noncontact and overuse injuries to the knee. Acute bouts of resistance exercises targeting the gluteal musculature can be prescribed as part of a warm-up protocol with the goal of improving subsequent neuromuscular control and performance. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect that a warm-up protocol including moderate-intensity gluteal resistance exercises (GRE) has on single leg jump landing biomechanics. Seventeen healthy, college-aged, recreationally active females (mean ± SD ; age = 21.4 ± 1.9 years; height = 166.9 ± 5.7 cm; body mass = 62.5 ± 7.4 kg) performed 3 single leg hop trials per leg after completing no warm-up (CON), a dynamic warm-up (DWU), and a dynamic warm-up with gluteal resistance exercises (DWU + GRE) across 3 laboratory visits. Lower extremity kinetic and kinematic variables were assessed during single leg hops from the point of initial foot contact to deepest knee flexion. Biomechanical differences between dominant and nondominant limb landings were also assessed. Dominant limb hip internal rotation angle after DWU + GRE (2.03 ± 9.92°) was significantly greater ( p ≤ 0.05) compared with CON (-3.36 ± 7.74°). Peak knee adduction moment (56.8%), peak knee flexion angle (5.7%), and peak knee external rotation angle (17.0%) were significantly greater ( p ≤ 0.017) in the dominant limb, compared with the nondominant limb, across warm-up protocols. The combined DWU + GRE warm-up protocol did not have a substantial impact on landing biomechanics. Clinicians prescribing GRE before activity should not expect significant changes in movement patterns after a single bout.