Preliminary Scoring Template of a Modified Landing Error Scoring System

Abstract

Background: The Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) identifies participants displaying potentially high-risk movement patterns during a double-leg jump-landing (DLJL) task. However, the DLJL has been criticized for not reflecting injury-prone situations in sport. The biomechanics and perceived difficulty of a rotated single-leg jump-landing (SLJLrot ) task have shown stronger associations with sport-specific cutting maneuvers than DLJL. Therefore, the SLJLrot may be a better suited task than the DLJL to assess landing “errors”. Objectives: Present a preliminary scoring template of a modified LESS applied to a SLJLrot task. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Whole-body motion was recorded for 42 young active participants (25 males and 17 females) using a three-dimensional infrared camera system during DLJL and SLJLrot tasks. Ankle, knee, hip, and trunk angles corresponding to the original LESS items were extracted for dominant and non-dominant legs from both tasks. Based on the differences in kinematic values between tasks, original LESS thresholds, and current scientific evidence, the original LESS items from the DLJL were modified to suit the SLJLrot task. Results: A preliminary scoring template of a modified LESS applied to a SLJLrot task was developed, including operational definitions of errors and relevant thresholds. The preliminary template consists of 13 items. The minimum and maximum scores are 0 and 12 errors, respectively, with higher scores indicating poorer landing biomechanics. Conclusions: The modified LESS may be an appropriate clinical screening tool for assessing sport-related non-contact lower extremity injury risk in athletes. The proposed template and thresholds require further scientific validation.