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The current study aimed using a two-experiment musculoskeletal simulation-based approach, measuring anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) biomechanics, knee joint kinematics, and lower extremity joint loading to examine the effects of both a prophylactic knee sleeve on (1) a sport-specific change of direction movement in female footballers and (2) a single leg landing in male footballers. Experiment 1 examined 12 female university first team level footballers (age $20.2\pm 1.34$ years, height $1.61\pm 0.06$m, body mass $57.2\pm 5.6$kg) undertaking a $45^{\circ }$ cutting movement in sleeve and no-sleeve conditions. Experiment 2 examined 10 male university first team level footballers (age $21.1\pm 1.13$ years, height $1.77\pm 0.1$m, body mass $71.9\pm 8.6$kg) undertaking a single leg drop jump landing in sleeve and no-sleeve conditions. In each experiment, data was collected in a biomechanics laboratory and three-dimensional (3D) motion capture and ground reaction force (GRF) information was collected. 3D kinematics, 3D knee kinetics, and ACL ligament forces/strains were measured using musculoskeletal simulation, and participants were also asked to subjectively rate the knee sleeve in terms of both comfort and stability. Experiment 1 showed that the sleeve condition was associated with greater ACL strain ($\mathrm{\text{sleeve}}=13.57$% and no-$\mathrm{\text{sleeve}}=10.26$%) and forces ($\mathrm{\text{sleeve}}=1.19$ BW and no-$\mathrm{\text{sleeve}}=0.94$ BW). In addition, the brace condition also enhanced lateral compressive tibiofemoral ($\mathrm{\text{sleeve}}=4.70$ BW and no-$\mathrm{\text{sleeve}}=4.20$ BW) and total compressive tibiofemoral force ($\mathrm{\text{sleeve}}=11.73$ BW and no-$\mathrm{\text{sleeve}}=11.08$ BW). Finally, for the subjective ratings, participants indicated that the knee sleeve significantly improved perceived comfort and stability. Experiment 2 did not reveal any statistical differences between knee sleeve and no-sleeve conditions nor any effects of the knee sleeve on subjective ratings of comfort or stability. Therefore, the findings from the current investigation suggest that the prophylactic knee sleeve examined in the current investigation does not appear to reduce the biomechanical parameters linked to the aetiology of knee pathologies in male/female footballers.

The aim of the current investigation was to examine the effects of high- and low-cut basketball-specific footwear, in relation to minimalist and conventional athletic footwear, on the kinetics and three-dimensional (3D) kinematics of sport-specific basketball movements. Ten males performed run and 45${}^{\circ }$ cut movements, whilst wearing low-cut, high-cut, minimalist and conventional athletic footwear. 3D kinematics of the lower extremities were measured using an eight-camera motion analysis system, alongside the vertical rate of loading, which was obtained using an embedded force platform. Footwear differences in 3D kinematic and loading rate parameters were examined using 4 (footwear) $\times 2$ (movement), repeated measures ANOVA. The results showed that loading rate was significantly larger in the minimalist footwear ($\mathrm{\text{run}}=239.45$ and $\mathrm{\text{cut}}=221.94$BW/s), in relation to the low-cut ($\mathrm{\text{run}}=144.02$ and $\mathrm{\text{cut}}=216.58$BW/s), high-cut ($\mathrm{\text{run}}=163.83$ and $\mathrm{\text{cut}}=192.11$BW/s) and conventional ($\mathrm{\text{run}}=140.32$ and $\mathrm{\text{cut}}=170.83$BW/s) conditions. In addition, it was also revealed during the run movement that peak angles of eversion were reduced significantly when wearing the high-cut ($-11.14^{\circ }$) footwear, compared to the low-cut $(-13.71^{\circ })$, minimalist $(-13.13^{\circ })$ and conventional $(-13.75^{\circ })$ conditions. The findings from the current investigation indicate that from an injury prevention context, conventional athletic footwear may be most appropriate for basketball players who are susceptible to chronic impact-related injuries, and high-cut footwear may be most suitable for players who require additional medial/lateral ankle stability.