Reliability of Surface EMG During High-Risk Single-Leg Jump Landing and 90° Sidestep Cutting in Female Footballers

Frampton, Andrew and Hill, Matthew and Clarke, Neil and Eustace, Steven and Tallis, Jason (2026) Reliability of Surface EMG During High-Risk Single-Leg Jump Landing and 90° Sidestep Cutting in Female Footballers. Applied Sciences, 16 (5). p. 2236. ISSN 2076-3417

Preview

Text Reliability_of_Surface_EMG_During_High-Risk_Single-Leg_Jump_Landing_and_90_Sidestep_Cutting_in_Female_Footballers_-_Copy.pdf - Accepted Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (519kB)

Abstract

Non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries cause substantial time loss in female football. Although altered lower-limb muscle excitation is a modifiable risk factor, the reliability of surface electromyography (sEMG) during dynamic tasks in female players remains uncertain. This repeated-measures reliability study examined sEMG during a single-leg jump landing (LAND) and 90° sidestep cut (CUT) in 16 second-tier English female footballers. We evaluated reliability across: (1) within- versus between-session measures; (2) mean versus peak amplitudes; (3) pre-initial contact (PRE-IC) versus post-initial contact (POST-IC) phases; and (4) 10 ms versus 50 ms smoothing windows. Reliability was quantified using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC[2,k]) and absolute measurement error. Within-session ICCs were moderate to excellent (LAND 0.61 to 0.95; CUT 0.68 to 0.96), whereas between-session ICCs varied from poor to excellent (LAND −0.48 to 0.94; CUT −0.08 to 0.93). Mean amplitudes showed marginally higher ICCs and lower absolute error than peaks. Phase-specific patterns were task-dependent: PRE-IC was more reliable in LAND, whereas POST-IC was more reliable in CUT. Practitioners should prioritize within-session comparisons using mean amplitudes, and the most reliable task-specific phase is recommended. Between-day application warrants caution, as the consistently lower reliability demonstrated may reflect task variability and/or physiological fluctuations rather than the sEMG method alone.

Item Type:	Article
Identification Number:	10.3390/app16052236
Dates:	Date Event 25 February 2026 Published Online 8 February 2026 Accepted
Uncontrolled Keywords:	EMG, muscle activation, reliability, female football, knee injury, ACL injury
Subjects:	CAH03 - biological and sport sciences > CAH03-02 - sport and exercise sciences > CAH03-02-01 - sport and exercise sciences
Divisions:	Life and Health Sciences > Life and Sports Sciences
Depositing User:	Gemma Tonks
Date Deposited:	05 Mar 2026 16:49
Last Modified:	05 Mar 2026 16:49
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/16908

Actions (login required)

View Item