Changes in the Width of the Tibiofibular Syndesmosis Related to Lower Extremity Joint Dynamics and Neuromuscular Coordination on Drop Landing During the Menstrual Cycle

Background:Many injuries of the lower extremities, especially the knee and ankle, occur during sports activity, and the incidence rate is higher in women than in men.Hypothesis:The hypothesis was that phases of the menstrual cycle affect the width of the tibiofibular syndesmosis during drop landing in healthy young women and that such changes at the tibiofibular joint also affect the dynamics and neuromuscular coordination of the lower extremities.Study Design:Descriptive laboratory study.Methods:Participants included 28 healthy young women (mean age, 21.0 ± 0.8 years). Blood samples were collected to determine plasma levels of estradiol and progesterone immediately before the performance of the task: drop landing on a single leg from a 30-cm platform. Using ultrasonography, the distance between the tibia and the distal end of the fibula, regarded as the width of the tibiofibular syndesmosis, was measured in an upright position without flexion of the ankle. The peak ground-reaction force (GRF) on landing ...