Fake-cut maneuvers: biomechanical determinants of performance and ACL injury risk.

Background: Change-of-direction maneuvers can be executed with deceptive intent ('fake-cuts'), yet the biomechanical determinants of fake-cut performance and their trade-offs with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury risk remain poorly understood. Therefore, we compared cutting biomechanics between skilled and less skilled fake-cut performers during sport-specific fake-cut maneuvers. Methods: Ninety-six handball players performed fake-cuts while 3D kinematics and kinetics were recorded. Fake-cut performance was classified by each player's primary coach, and performance groups were compared using factorial ANOVA. Results: Skilled fake-cut performers displayed shorter ground contact times, higher movement speeds throughout stance, a shallower cutting angle and greater cutting width compared with less skilled performers. They also showed greater and faster head movements against the intended cutting direction, suggesting upper-body-driven deception. No clear group differences were observed in ACL injury risk-related knee biomechanics within the first 100 ms after initial contact. However, skilled performers showed greater peak knee abduction moment across the stance phase. Also, several biomechanical characteristics associated with superior fake-cut performance have previously been linked to greater ACL injury-related knee loading. Conclusion: Overall, effective fake-cut performance appears to rely on speed-oriented cutting mechanics and upper-body-driven deception. At the same time, the present findings may indicate a performance-injury conflict during fake-cut maneuvers. Cutting technique strategies that reduce ACL injury risk without impairing fake-cut performance warrant further investigation.