JuJU Watkins chasing CC

[CP87]

No shit? Hmm. Didn't know that but it makes sense.

I wonder if some of it also has to do with smaller leg muscle structure. Men have stronger legs which has to also add stability to the knee joint. @CP87 is a human biology prof at the U, maybe he has some wisdom for us.

The wider pelvis, and resulting greater knee valgus deviation (measured as Q angle) is definitely part of it, as the ACL is stretched under valgus deviation.

There is also some evidence for a narrower femoral notch...the ACL runs through this notch, and if narrower, might push laterally on the ACL during loading, especially with more valgus collapse.

Women's connective tissue (CT) is also weaker during certain points of the menstrual cycle...this is an evolutionary thing relating to child birth. You need a very flexible pelvis to fit a big head through there, so when the estrogenrogesterone ratio goes up at the end of pregnancy, collagen metabolism goes down, and CT gets weaker. There is some evidence that women have a slightly higher risk of ACL tear in the late follicular phase of their ovarian cycle, when estrogen is high and progesterone is low.

Your idea also has merit. ACL injury risk is higher with a more extended knee. The ACL is torn by the individual's quad muscles, which when they are trying to generate a large knee extensor torque, concurrently pull the tibia forward relative to the femur. This anterior shear of the tibia is exactly the movement the ACL prevents.

With an extended knee, the patellar tendon creates quite a bit of anterior shear. As the knee flexes, the femur rolls back, so now the patellar tendon is pulling straight up on the tibia (no more shear, all compression). So, you can't tear your ACL when your knees are flexed (at least not a non-contact ACL mechanism, which is the majority of ACL tears). Women tend to perform cutting and landing maneuvers with a more fully extended knee compared to men, presumably due to weaker musculature (deeper knee bend leads to greater lever arms and hence greater torques).

Sorry, probably more than you wanted.

 

[CP87]

The wider pelvis, and resulting greater knee valgus deviation (measured as Q angle) is definitely part of it, as the ACL is stretched under valgus deviation.

There is also some evidence for a narrower femoral notch...the ACL runs through this notch, and if narrower, might push laterally on the ACL during loading, especially with more valgus collapse.

Women's connective tissue (CT) is also weaker during certain points of the menstrual cycle...this is an evolutionary thing relating to child birth. You need a very flexible pelvis to fit a big head through there, so when the estrogenrogesterone ratio goes up at the end of pregnancy, collagen metabolism goes down, and CT gets weaker. There is some evidence that women have a slightly higher risk of ACL tear in the late follicular phase of their ovarian cycle, when estrogen is high and progesterone is low.

Your idea also has merit. ACL injury risk is higher with a more extended knee. The ACL is torn by the individual's quad muscles, which when they are trying to generate a large knee extensor torque, concurrently pull the tibia forward relative to the femur. This anterior shear of the tibia is exactly the movement the ACL prevents.

With an extended knee, the patellar tendon creates quite a bit of anterior shear. As the knee flexes, the femur rolls back, so now the patellar tendon is pulling straight up on the tibia (no more shear, all compression). So, you can't tear your ACL when your knees are flexed (at least not a non-contact ACL mechanism, which is the majority of ACL tears). Women tend to perform cutting and landing maneuvers with a more fully extended knee compared to men, presumably due to weaker musculature (deeper knee bend leads to greater lever arms and hence greater torques).

Sorry, probably more than you wanted.

Apparently estrogen : progesterone ratio ends up as a happy emoji if you don't put any spaces in there.

 

[Fryowa]

The wider pelvis, and resulting greater knee valgus deviation (measured as Q angle) is definitely part of it, as the ACL is stretched under valgus deviation.

There is also some evidence for a narrower femoral notch...the ACL runs through this notch, and if narrower, might push laterally on the ACL during loading, especially with more valgus collapse.

Women's connective tissue (CT) is also weaker during certain points of the menstrual cycle...this is an evolutionary thing relating to child birth. You need a very flexible pelvis to fit a big head through there, so when the estrogenrogesterone ratio goes up at the end of pregnancy, collagen metabolism goes down, and CT gets weaker. There is some evidence that women have a slightly higher risk of ACL tear in the late follicular phase of their ovarian cycle, when estrogen is high and progesterone is low.

Your idea also has merit. ACL injury risk is higher with a more extended knee. The ACL is torn by the individual's quad muscles, which when they are trying to generate a large knee extensor torque, concurrently pull the tibia forward relative to the femur. This anterior shear of the tibia is exactly the movement the ACL prevents.

With an extended knee, the patellar tendon creates quite a bit of anterior shear. As the knee flexes, the femur rolls back, so now the patellar tendon is pulling straight up on the tibia (no more shear, all compression). So, you can't tear your ACL when your knees are flexed (at least not a non-contact ACL mechanism, which is the majority of ACL tears). Women tend to perform cutting and landing maneuvers with a more fully extended knee compared to men, presumably due to weaker musculature (deeper knee bend leads to greater lever arms and hence greater torques).

Sorry, probably more than you wanted.

Whoa dude...

 

[CP87]

Whoa dude...

You can now pass my next exam!

 

[Hawkboys]

The wider pelvis, and resulting greater knee valgus deviation (measured as Q angle) is definitely part of it, as the ACL is stretched under valgus deviation.

There is also some evidence for a narrower femoral notch...the ACL runs through this notch, and if narrower, might push laterally on the ACL during loading, especially with more valgus collapse.

Women's connective tissue (CT) is also weaker during certain points of the menstrual cycle...this is an evolutionary thing relating to child birth. You need a very flexible pelvis to fit a big head through there, so when the estrogenrogesterone ratio goes up at the end of pregnancy, collagen metabolism goes down, and CT gets weaker. There is some evidence that women have a slightly higher risk of ACL tear in the late follicular phase of their ovarian cycle, when estrogen is high and progesterone is low.

Your idea also has merit. ACL injury risk is higher with a more extended knee. The ACL is torn by the individual's quad muscles, which when they are trying to generate a large knee extensor torque, concurrently pull the tibia forward relative to the femur. This anterior shear of the tibia is exactly the movement the ACL prevents.

With an extended knee, the patellar tendon creates quite a bit of anterior shear. As the knee flexes, the femur rolls back, so now the patellar tendon is pulling straight up on the tibia (no more shear, all compression). So, you can't tear your ACL when your knees are flexed (at least not a non-contact ACL mechanism, which is the majority of ACL tears). Women tend to perform cutting and landing maneuvers with a more fully extended knee compared to men, presumably due to weaker musculature (deeper knee bend leads to greater lever arms and hence greater torques).

Sorry, probably more than you wanted.

TMI!!!
TMI!!!

 

[dagdaj]

The thing I like most about JuJu other than her game is her character. When reporters or announcers talk to her about how she compares to Clark or Paige or anyone else for that matter, she deflects and has nothing but praise for those that came before her. Just like Caitlin has always done.

She's got as good a team (I mean, off court/management/PR team) around her as Clark.

You can't point to anything in her game, character, or presentation that's not to like.
Heck, even Clark had some things in her on court behavior that we all probably wish never came out at times. Not seen that with Watkins.

I've said it a million times. There's a reason Crash Davis was sent to teach Nuke Laloosh how to say things like "I'm just here to help the team in any way I can." Not because we would believe it. But to not give ammunition to opposing teams, opposing fans, haters, jealous types, sports talking heads, or brand marketing managers to use in opposition. There's far more money and career in being the middle-of-the-road don't say anything that can remotely blow up in your face. Even then, that's impossible to do in this era.

I think she's terrific. Still, Clark will be my #1 forever. Also, love that Flau'jae Johnson. Mainly because she 'liked' a comment I made somewhere on some sort of WNBA related TikTok. My brush with greatness. I've seen her interacting with Clark. I honestly don't know enough about basketball positions, so it may just not be possible. I'd love to see them on the same team sometime. I think they could have some of that teammate style chemistry that Clark helmed at Iowa.