LOWER QUARTER- AND UPPER QUARTER Y BALANCE TESTS AS PREDICTORS OF RUNNING-RELATED INJURIES IN HIGH SCHOOL CROSS-COUNTRY RUNNERS
While cross-country running is a popular interscholastic sport, it also has a high incidence of running-related injuries (RRIs). Recent literature suggests that functional tests may identify athletes at increased risk of injury. The Y-Balance Test (YBT) is an objective measure used to assess functio...
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| Published in: | International journal of sports physical therapy Vol. 14; no. 5; pp. 695 - 706 |
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
United States
Sports Physical Therapy Section
01-09-2019
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Get full text |
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| Summary: | While cross-country running is a popular interscholastic sport, it also has a high incidence of running-related injuries (RRIs). Recent literature suggests that functional tests may identify athletes at increased risk of injury. The Y-Balance Test (YBT) is an objective measure used to assess functional muscle strength, balance, and expose asymmetries between tested limbs.
The purpose of this study was to determine if the YBT could predict RRI in high school cross-country runners. It was hypothesized that an asymmetric right (R)/left (L) YBT reach distance for the lower or upper extremities would be associated with an increased risk of RRI.
Prospective observational cohort.
One hundred forty-eight athletes (80 girls, 68 boys) who competed in interscholastic cross-country in Southern California during the 2015 season participated in the study. Prior to the cross-country season, the runners completed Lower-Quarter YBT (LQ-YBT) and Upper-Quarter YBT (UQ-YBT) testing to assess lower and upper extremity asymmetry, respectively. The runners were prospectively monitored for RRI occurrence throughout the season using the Daily Injury Report form.
Forty-nine runners (33.1%) incurred a RRI during the 2015 season, with the lower leg (shin/calf) and knee the most common RRI sites. Girls had a higher RRI occurrence (38.8%) than boys (26.5%) (p = 0.12). Boys had greater raw scores for LQ-YBT R and L anterior (ANT), posteromedial (PM), posterolateral (PM) and composite reach distances than girls (p<0.05). With the exception of normalized superolateral reach distance, boys had significantly greater scores for raw and normalized R and L UQ-YBT reach distances and raw composite scores than girls (p<0.05). After adjusting for prior RRI, while boy runners with a LQ-YBT PM reach difference ≥4.0 cm were five times more likely to incur a RRI (Adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 5.05, 95% CI: 1.3-19.8; p = 0.02), girl runners with a UQ-YBT inferolateral (IL) reach difference ≥ 4.0 cm were 75% less likely to incur a RRI (AOR = 0.25, 95% CI: 0.1-0.7; p = 0.005). By lower extremity body region, boy runners with a UQ-YBT superolateral (SL) reach difference ≥ 4.0 cm were seven times more likely to incur a hip/thigh/knee RRI [AOR] = 7.20, 95% CI: 1.1-45.6; p = 0.002).
Greater lower extremity (PM) or upper extremity (SL) reach distance asymmetry, as measured by the LQ-YBT or UQ-YBT, respectively, were associated with RRI in boy high school cross-country runners.
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| Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 The study was approved by the Human Subjects Division at San Diego State University. Acknowledgements: We thank the high school runners, coaches, and athletic directors, and certified athletic trainers for their cooperation and participation in the study. There are no further disclosures and no conflicts of interest to report for any of the authors. Conflict of Interest Statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest or affiliations with or financial involvement in any organization or entity with a direct financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in the article. |
| ISSN: | 2159-2896 2159-2896 |
| DOI: | 10.26603/ijspt20190695 |