Frequency and associated factors of poor knee alignment in young Brazilian volleyball players.

: Poor knee alignment during the deceleration phase of closed kinetic chain movements, such as landings, is a relevant risk factor for injuries in sports. This study assessed the knee alignment and possible associated factors in young Brazilian volleyball athletes : One hundred and seventeen athletes of both genders (9-19 years old) were assessed during a drop jump for the observation of knee alignment. Chi-square test was used to describe the association between poor knee alignment and: gender, age category (≤14 years and ≥15 years), sports experience, participation in competitions, the presence of knee pain during training, and history of lower limb injury : Seventy percent of athletes presented poor knee alignment, which was slightly associated with a sports experience lower than one year.