Male–female differences in unilateral jump–landing energetics are concentrated in propulsion‐phase work generation across self‐paced and ball‐interception tasks in competitive soccer players
Soran AminiAghdam, Simon Woergoetter, Julia Scharbert, Philipp Baumert, Christian FinkAbstract
Purpose
This cross‐sectional observational study compared jump performance and braking‐, propulsion‐ and landing‐phase energetics during self‐paced hands‐on‐hips single‐leg countermovement jump (SL‐CMJ) and soccer‐relevant jump–heading–landing (SR‐JHL) between sampled male and female competitive soccer players. A secondary aim examined associations between propulsion‐phase knee positive work (generation) and jump height.
Methods
Forty‐five players (22 males, 18.4 ± 2.1 years; 23 females, 20.1 ± 3.5 years) performed SL‐CMJ and SR‐JHL bilaterally using force plates and three‐dimensional motion capture. SR‐JHL incorporated a large‐screen interactive soccer scene, real‐time marker‐driven avatar, unrestricted arms, height‐scaled virtual‐ball heading and tested‐limb landing. Limb‐averaged outcomes included jump performance, modified reactive strength index (RSI‐mod), phase‐specific center‐of‐mass and hip–knee–ankle work and relative joint contribution. Welch tests, Hedges' g and false discovery rate (FDR) correction compared sexes within tasks; mixed‐effects models examined knee energetics–jump height associations.
Results
Males had greater jump height and RSI‐mod in both tasks ( g = 1.34–2.85; q < 0.001), greater propulsion‐phase center‐of‐mass generation and jump center‐of‐mass net work ( g = 0.68–1.35; q ≤ 0.033); however, braking or landing center‐of‐mass absorption did not differ significantly between groups after FDR correction. Males also showed greater propulsion‐phase knee generation, lower ankle generation share, higher knee generation share and greater landing knee absorption. Absolute propulsion‐phase knee generation was associated with jump height after accounting for sex and task ( β = 0.0147 m per standard deviation; p = 0.042), with a stronger association in SR‐JHL ( p = 0.006).
Conclusion
Differences between the sampled male and female cohorts were concentrated in propulsion‐phase work generation, with greater hip and knee work in the male cohort and greater ankle contribution in the female cohort. Propulsion‐phase knee positive work was associated with jump height, particularly in SR‐JHL. Because sex was inseparable from cohort context, these findings describe between‐group differences—not independent sex effects—and provide task‐specific comparison context for future anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and return‐to‐sport research.
Level of Evidence
Level III.