Ankle Biomechanics and Muscle Activation During Repeated Single-Leg Lateral Hopping: Effects of Speed and Distance

Suwanmana, S, Jamkrajang, P, Robinson, M ORCID: 0000-0002-5627-492X, Kim, H and Limroongreungrat, W (2026) Ankle Biomechanics and Muscle Activation During Repeated Single-Leg Lateral Hopping: Effects of Speed and Distance. Biomechanics, 6 (3). ISSN 2673-7078

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Abstract

Objective: This study investigated the effects of hopping speed and distance on ankle joint moments, power, and muscle activation during repeated lateral hopping tasks. Methods: Twelve trained male athletes involved in team sports performed repeated lateral hop tasks at varying speeds (slow and fast) and hop widths (30 and 45 cm). Kinematics, kinetics, and muscle activation were recorded using ten optoelectronic cameras, two force platforms, and four channels of electromyography at the peroneus longus, tibialis anterior, lateral gastrocnemius, and soleus muscles. A two-way repeated-measures ANOVA assessed the effects of speed and distance, and secondary outcomes were adjusted for multiple comparison using the false discover rate procedure. Result: Hopping speed significantly influenced ankle joint moment (p < 0.05) and produced selective altered joint power and muscle activation (p < 0.05), while distance affected ankle joint moment and range of motion in the frontal plane (p < 0.05), but not muscle activation. Several of these effects remained significant after correction for multiple comparisons. A significant speed × distance interaction was observed for frontal plane peak ankle moment (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Hopping speed modulates ankle joint moment most consistently, with more variable changes in joint power and relative muscle activation, while distance manipulation selectively affects mechanical loading without altering muscle activation. Faster hopping increased ankle joint loading and altered relative muscle activation, while wider hopping distances could progressively load frontal plane structures. The results may inform progressive loading strategies for multidirectional sport training in healthy athletes, though clinical applicability remains to be confirmed.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	Q Science > QP Physiology R Medicine > RC Internal medicine
Divisions:	Sport and Exercise Sciences
Publisher:	MDPI
Date of acceptance:	18 August 2026
Date of first compliant Open Access:	24 August 2026
Date Deposited:	24 Aug 2026 13:46
Last Modified:	24 Aug 2026 13:46
DOI or ID number:	10.3390/biomechanics6030076
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/29190

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