Pilot Study on the Effects of Training Using an Inertial Load of Water on Lower-Limb Joint Moments During Single-Leg Landing and Stabilization

Maintaining lower-limb joint stability is essential for safe and efficient performance during landing and directional changes. This pilot study examined the effects of a 10-week perturbation-based Dynamic Stability Training (DST) program using an inertial water load on lower-limb joint moments during single-leg landing and a 3-s stabilization phase following a 90° cutting maneuver. Fifteen healthy young men completed DST twice weekly. Three-dimensional motion capture and force-plate data were collected at pre-, mid-, and post-training to compute hip, knee, and ankle joint moments. During landing, hip flexion and abduction moments increased, whereas knee abduction moment decreased. During the stabilization phase, hip flexion, hip rotation, and ankle abduction moments decreased, while knee abduction moment increased. These joint-specific changes suggest potential adaptations in frontal- and transverse-plane control when training with unstable inertial water loads; however, interpretations should remain cautious given the exploratory design and absence of a control group. Larger randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.