Q-angle values of elite soccer and taekwondo athletes

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine the mean right and left knee Q angles of male and female athletes of taekwondo and soccer in standing and supine positions. The subjects of this study consisted of 64 female athletes with mean age 18.45 ± 2.47 years, height 164.18 ± 4.02 cm, weight 57.15 ± 5.48 kg and 116 male athletes with mean age 18.41 ± 2.45 years, height 174.63 ± 4.45 cm, weight 66.56 ± 5.83 kg. The results of this study showed that the mean right and left knee Q angles of male athletes were 14.47 ± 1.84° and 13.69 ± 1.88° for the standing position, 13.25 ± 1.81°, 12.44 ± 1.77° for the supine position, while those of female athletes were 17.28 ± 1.29° and 16.90 ± 1.46° for the standing position, 16.57 ± 1.28% 16.12 ± 1.37° for the supine position. No abnormal results were found in this study. The mean right and left knee Q-angle values of male and female athletes were negatively correlated with femur bicondylar diameter, trochanter diameter, body weight, body height, and calf circumferences at p < 0.01 confidence level. In addition, the Q angle was also negatively correlated with femur length in the standing position (p < 0.05) and with tibia length in the supine and standing position (p < 0.01). These Q angles were within the normal range. In addition to sex, tibia and femur length, and pelvis width, dominant foot and shape of the feet may affect the Q angle.