Project title
Role of nonlinear movement analysis in the understanding of injury rehabilitation in female athletes
Project abstract
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are among the most common and debilitating injuries in female athletes, who face a significantly higher risk of occurrence and reinjury than males (Hallén et al., 2024; Parsons et al., 2021). Despite advances in rehabilitation, return-to-sport (RTS) decisions often lack objective criteria, leading to inconsistent outcomes. This thesis investigates the role of nonlinear movement analysis, specifically measures such as the Lyapunov Exponent and Sample Entropy, in assessing movement stability and adaptability following ACL injury and reconstruction. Through a combination of marker-based, markerless,
and inertial measurement unit (IMU) motion capture systems, this research aims to validate wearable technologies for field-based monitoring and to establish objective biomarkers of recovery and RTS readiness. By focusing on female athletes, this work seeks to address an important gap in the literature and contribute to evidence-based approaches for safer and more effective rehabilitation and RTS decision-making.