Gender difference in distance of tibiofibular syndesmosis to joint dynamics of lower extremities during squat.

The incidence of lower extremity injury is greater in women than men, indicating gender difference in lower extremity function. Here we investigate the role of the ankle during squatting in young men and women by measuring the tibiofibular syndesmosis (TFS) distance and the angles of hip, ankle and knee joints. TFS distance was positively correlated to body mass in men, but not in women, suggesting some factor(s) affecting TSF distance in women.