Mechanical Energy Expenditure at Lumbar Spine and Lower Extremity Joints During the Single-Leg Squat Is Affected by the Nonstance Foot Position

Hirsch, SM, Chapman, CJ, Frost, DM, and Beach, TAC. Mechanical energy expenditure at lumbar spine and lower extremity joints during the single-leg squat is affected by the nonstance foot position. J Strength Cond Res 36(9): 2417-2426, 2022-Previous research has shown that discrete kinematic and kinetic quantities during bodyweight single-leg squat (SLS) movements are affected by elevated foot positioning and sex of the performer, but generalizations are limited by the high-dimensional data structure reported. Using a 3D inverse dynamical linked-segment model, we quantified mechanical energy expenditure (MEE) at each joint in the kinetic chain, the total MEE (sum of MEE across aforesaid joints), and the relative contribution of each joint to total MEE during SLSs performed with elevated foot positioned beside stance leg (SLS-Side), and in-front of (SLS-Front) and behind (SLS-Back) the body. Total MEE differed between SLS variations (p = 0.002), with the least amount observed in the SLS-Back (effect size [ES] = 0.066-0.069). Approximately 50% of total MEE was contributed by the knee joint in each SLS variation, whereas MEE at the ankle, hip, and lumbar spine (in absolute and relative terms) varied complexly as a function of the elevated foot position. Total MEE (p = 0.0192, ES = 0.852) and the absolute MEE at the knee and spine was greater in men across the SLS variations performed (p = 0.025-0.036, ES = 0.715-0.766), but only the lumbar spine contribution to total MEE was larger in men across all SLS variations (p = 0.045, ES = 0.607). Otherwise, there were no other sex-specific responses observed. Biomechanically, SLS movements are generally "knee-dominant," but changing elevated foot position effectively redistributes MEE among other joints in the linkage. Consistent with the previous conclusions reached based on discrete kinematic and kinetic data, not all SLSs are equal.