{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,15]],"date-time":"2026-10-15T21:37:27Z","timestamp":1792100247939,"version":"4.4.0"},"reference-count":48,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,15]],"date-time":"2025-10-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1760486400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol."],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title><jats:p>To investigate sex differences in lower limb biomechanics during single-leg drop landing in individuals with unilateral Functional Ankle Instability (FAI).<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>Twenty individuals with unilateral FAI (10 males\/10 females) performed single-leg drop landings on unstable and stable limbs respectively. Kinematic data were captured using a Vicon motion capture system, and kinetic data were collected using force plates. Data were analyzed using a 2 \u00d7 2 (Sex \u00d7 Side) mixed-design ANOVA.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>Significant main effects of Sex were observed for hip flexion and abduction angles at both IC and peak vGRF, with females showing greater hip flexion (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> = 0.005; <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> = 0.023) and smaller hip abduction (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> = 0.026; <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> = 0.003) than males. A significant main effect of Sex was also found for ankle inversion at IC, with females exhibiting greater inversion than males (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> = 0.005). For ankle plantarflexion at IC, a significant Sex \u00d7 Side interaction was detected (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> = 0.020); simple effects analysis revealed that females had reduced plantarflexion on the unstable side compared to their stable side (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> = 0.010). For peak vGRF, a significant Sex \u00d7 Side interaction was observed (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> = 0.013); <jats:italic>post hoc<\/jats:italic> tests indicated that females had higher peak vGRF on the unstable side than males (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> = 0.008) and their own stable side (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> &amp;lt; 0.001). No significant differences were observed for knee joint angles, T_vGRF, LR, \u0394L, or K<jats:sub>leg<\/jats:sub> (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> &amp;gt; 0.05).<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>Female individuals with FAI employ a hip-dominant compensatory strategy (increased flexion\/reduced abduction) and exhibit greater ankle inversion than males. On the unstable side, they demonstrate reduced plantarflexion compared to their stable side. Males with FAI primarily adopt a joint stiffening strategy with restricted motion. Future research on FAI should incorporate sex differentiation in biomechanical assessments to develop targeted rehabilitation.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fbioe.2025.1703251","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,15]],"date-time":"2025-10-15T05:42:24Z","timestamp":1760506944000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["The influence of sex on lower limb biomechanical characteristics during single-leg drop landing in individuals with unilateral functional ankle instability"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Huizi","family":"Cui","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zilong","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Minjie","family":"Lin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tao","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xiangdong","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"555","DOI":"10.1007\/s00421-003-0833-3","article-title":"Muscle hypertrophy, hormonal adaptations and strength development during strength training in strength-trained and untrained men","volume":"89","author":"Ahtiainen","year":"2003","journal-title":"Eur. 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