Differential effects of jump-induced fatigue on lower-extremity landing biomechanics in children and adults

Xiaofeng Lin; Zifan Xia; Yihan Qian; Shunhang Wang; Yufan Xu; Xuanzhen Cen; Danica Janicijevic; Yang Song; Dong Sun; Yaodong Gu

doi:10.37190/abb/224821

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Differential effects of jump-induced fatigue on lower-extremity landing biomechanics in children and adults

Acta of Bioengineering and Biomechanics

Volume 28 (2026): Issue 2 (June 2026)

By: Xiaofeng Lin, Zifan Xia, Yihan Qian, Shunhang Wang, Yufan Xu, Xuanzhen Cen, Danica Janicijevic, Yang Song , Dong Sun and Yaodong Gu

Open Access

|Sep 2026

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether jump-induced fatigue differentially affects lower-extremity landing biomechanics in children and adults.

Methods

Twelve children and twelve adults completed alternating sets of twenty countermovement jumps and twenty drop jumps from a 30-cm box for at least three cycles, with 5 sec of rest between cycles. Before and after fatigue, all participants performed three countermovement jumps, and lower-extremity joint angles, joint moments, and vertical ground reaction force during the landing phase were collected. Time series data and discrete variables were analyzed using mixed design analyses of variance to examine the main effects of group and fatigue, as well as their interaction.

Results

CMJ performance decreased after fatigue, as reflected by lower CMJ height, shorter flight time, and reduced take-off velocity. Interaction effects between fatigue and group were observed for the ankle sagittal plane angle, hip frontal plane angle, ankle sagittal plane moment, and subtalar frontal plane angle. After fatigue, children showed a more plantarflexed ankle posture, greater hip adduction, and lower ankle plantarflexion and subtalar inversion moments. Fatigue also reduced hip and knee flexion angles overall, whereas adults showed greater peak hip flexion, peak knee flexion, and ankle moment output after fatigue.

Conclusions

Age-related differences were observed in landing responses to fatigue. Children displayed a more constrained landing adjustment under fatigued conditions, whereas adults retained greater hip and knee flexion and higher ankle plantarflexion moment output, suggesting a more flexion-preserving strategy.

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Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37190/abb/224821 | Journal eISSN: 2450-6303 | Journal ISSN: 1509-409X

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Language: English

Page range: 1 - 13

Submitted on: Apr 11, 2026

Accepted on: Jun 19, 2026

Published on: Sep 21, 2026

Published by: Wroclaw University of Science and Technology

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Publication frequency: 4 issues per year

Keywords:

Age-related differences,

Jump-induced fatigue,

Landing biomechanics,

Landing strategy

Related subjects:

Engineering,

Bioengineering and biomedical engineering,

Cellular and tissue engineering,

Biomechanics,

Medicine,

Biomedical engineering,

Materials sciences,

Biomaterials and natural materials

© 2026 Xiaofeng Lin, Zifan Xia, Yihan Qian, Shunhang Wang, Yufan Xu, Xuanzhen Cen, Danica Janicijevic, Yang Song, Dong Sun, Yaodong Gu, published by Wroclaw University of Science and Technology
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Volume 28 (2026): Issue 2 (June 2026)