Abstract: A method of calculating in vivo force on an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) by measuring one or more biomechanical properties during a biomechanical screening task to obtain one or more biomechanical datum from the measured one or more biomechanical properties, and calculating a total load on an anterior cruciate ligament from an ACL force model using the one or more biomechanical datum as inputs to the ACL force model. The ACL force model is defined by FACL=FACLsag+FACLfront+FACLtrans+?jCTj, wherein FACL is the total force on the ACL, FACLsag is the force on the ACL in a sagittal plane, FACLfront is the force on the ACL in the frontal plane, FACLtrans is the force on the ACL in the transverse plane, and CTj is the ACL force interaction relationships among the sagittal-frontal (SF), sagittal-transverse (ST), and frontal-transverse (FT) planes, where j=SF, ST, FT.

Abstract: An area suitable for sporting activities comprises an upper synthetic surface layer, and a sub-surface support layer which includes a load bearing structural module. The structural module comprises a top wall and a bottom wall spaced therefrom by one or more supporting elements so as to define a volume between the top and bottom walls. The top wall is provided with a plurality of apertures to permit the flow of liquid into and out of the volume. The size and shape of the apertures is such that the apertures cause substantially no variation in the flatness of the synthetic surface layer.

Abstract: An area suitable for sporting activities comprises an upper synthetic surface layer, and a sub-surface support layer which includes a load bearing structural module. The structural module comprises a top wall and a bottom wall spaced therefrom by one or more supporting elements so as to define a volume between the top and bottom walls. The top wall is provided with a plurality of apertures to permit the flow of liquid into and out of the volume. The size and shape of the apertures is such that the apertures cause substantially no variation in the flatness of the synthetic surface layer.