Comparison of Hip Range of Motion and Arch Height Index of Collegiate Female Dancers and Collegiate Females

Dance requires athleticism and an optimal degree of stiffness and compliance to maximize performance and aesthetics. There is little research published on the utility of hip range of motion (ROM) and arch height index measures (AHI) in the female dance population.https://ecommons.udayton.edu/dpt_symposium/1035/thumbnail.jp

Using the Classification and Regression Tree Analysis in Determining the Relationship Between Functional Movement Assessment, Clinical Measures, and Injury in NBA Players

Musculoskeletal pathology has been linked to games missed in the NBA due to player injury. Sports medicine professionals utilize functional assessments and clinical measures in order to minimize injury risk and maximize performance. The investigation of interactions among non-linear factors may help further the understanding of the interdependence of various measures and missed games due to injury.https://ecommons.udayton.edu/dpt_symposium/1031/thumbnail.jp

Load Carriage Distance Run and Pushups Tests: No Body Mass Bias and Occupationally Relevant

Recent research has demonstrated body mass (M) bias in military physical fi tness tests favoring lighter, not just leaner, service members. Mathematical modeling predicts that a distance run carrying a backpack of 30 lbs would eliminate M-bias. The purpose of this study was to empirically test this prediction for the U.S. Army push-ups and 2-mile run tests. Two tests were performed for both events for each of 56 university Reserve Offi cer Training Corps male cadets: with (loaded) and without backpack (unloaded). Results indicated signifi cant M-bias in the unloaded and no M-bias in the loaded condition for both events. Allometrically scaled scores for both events were worse in the loaded vs. unloaded conditions, supporting a hypothesis not previously tested. The loaded push-ups and 2-mile run appear to remove M-bias and are probably more occupationally relevant as military personnel are often expected to carry external loads

Chronic Elbow Dislocation Treated with Open Reduction and Lateral Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction

In the United States, chronic unreduced elbow dislocations are rare injuries. We report the successful short-term outcome of a chronic elbow dislocation treated with open reduction and lateral ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction using a split semitendinosus allograft in a figure-of-8 technique without use of hinged external fixation. The authors have obtained the patient’s written informed consent for print and electronic publication of the case report

Knee Range of Motion: Reliability and Agreement of 3 Measurement Methods

We conducted a study to compare 3 methods of measuring knee range of motion: visual estimation by physicians, hand goniometry by physical therapists, and radiographic goniometry. We hypothesized that reliability would be high within and across all techniques. We found intrarater and interrater reliability to be satisfactory for visual estimation, hand goniometry, and radiographic goniometry. Interrater reliability across methods did not agree satisfactorily. Between-methods differences in estimating knee range of motion may result from variations in technique among physicians and physical therapists

The Association between Critical Thinking and Scholastic Aptitude on First-time Pass Rate of the National Physical Therapy Examination

Objectives: 1) To investigate the relationships among critical thinking (CT) abilities, overall academic performance in the Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) program as measured by cumulative grade point average (GPA), and National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) licensure scores, and 2) To determine if NPTE scores were significantly different between groups of students who were classified as having low, moderate or high CT abilities. Background: It is well-established that physical therapy practice requires good clinical reasoning skills. Passage of the NPTE is required for licensure. Research to date has been mixed as to whether CT abilities or GPA can predict success on national board licensure examinations such as the NPTE. The conflicting results may be partially due to weak research methodologies, uncontrolled confounders, and the use of non-standardized assessment instruments. Methods and Measures: A convenience sample of 91 DPT students completed a standard assessment of CT abilities three times. Repeated measure (RM) general linear model (GLM) tests were run to determine if mean California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) scores changed significantly over the course of the DPT program. A Pearson’s correlation matrix was constructed to investigate the relationships among NPTE scores, GPA, and CT. A univariate GLM test was run to determine if there was a statistically significant difference in mean NPTE scores between low, medium, and high CCTST groups. Results: Complete sets of the three CCTST scores were available for 69 students, and NPTE scores were available for 73 graduates. The strongest correlation with the first-time NPTE score was the GPA (r = 0.735, p = 0.001), followed by the CCTST score at Measurement 1 (r = 0.413, p = 0.0001). Graduates who were classified as having low CT abilities had a 100% failure rate on the first attempt for the NPTE, and scored significantly lower on the exam compared to graduates with moderate or high CT abilities (615.33, 634.6, and 652.43, respectively p = 0.0005). Conclusion: Implementing pedagogical practices that foster CT abilities and/or using a CCTST score of 18 or greater as DPT program entry criterion may equate to greater first-time NPTE pass rates for program graduates

The Association between Y-Balance and the Delos Postural Proprioceptive System in Professional Basketball Players

Background/Purpose: Lower extremity injury is common in professional basketball. The Y-Balance Test (YBT) and the Delos Postural Proprioceptive System (DPPS) have been purported to assess dynamic postural control and balance, which has been associated with injury in elite athletics. It has been reported that performance on balance assessments is influenced by many factors that include mobility, strength, and proprioception. The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate the relationship between DPPS and YBT performance in professional basketball players. Methods: 13 professional basketball players (age=25.5 yrs +/- 3.9, height = 2.00 m +/- .079 weight = 99.89 kg +/- 12.38, BMI = 24.66 +/- 1.89) participated. YBT and Delos Measurements were completed as part of preseason mobility screening prior to the 2018-19 NBA season. A Friedman’s ANOVA was used to investigate the differences between the DPPS and YBT, using individuals scoring below 1SD on both the static and dynamic Delos cutoff score (90) for both left and right lower extremities. The ICC was used to investigate the relationship between (right or left) dynamic and static Delos scores to scores on the respective y-balance test. Results: The Delos Static and Dynamic tests for the right side were statistically different than the YBT composite scores. The ICC for the Delos static (right) score was -.910 and the Delos dynamic (right) score was -.999 with a 95% confidence interval from -7.127 to .962 (F(2,10)=.671,p Conclusion: This exploratory study suggests that the direct correlation between the YBT and the DPPS should be further investigated. The YBT may be an assessment that is more sensitive to factors related to strength and mobility while the DPPS may be more representative of proprioceptive function. Clinical Relevance: Balance and mobility is influenced by many factors. Understanding the association between the Delos and Y-Balance can give clinicians a better understanding of the utility and value these assessments when working with elite athletes.https://ecommons.udayton.edu/dpt_symposium/1001/thumbnail.jp

The Utility of Functional Movement Assessment on NBA Players

Professional basketball related injuries have not declined over the last decade despite improvements in training and conditioning or medical advancements in diagnostics, surgery, or rehabilitation. A descriptive epidemiological study of 80% of the National Basketball Association (NBA) teams over 17 years reported an injury incidence of 19.1 per 1000 athlete exposures, and 59,179 games missed due to injury. Starkey found that the there has been a 12.4% increase in game-related injuries in the NBA in a 10-year period from the 1988 - 1997 seasons. It is suspected that increased contact within the NBA along with improved player athleticism, size, power, and speed have contribute to the rise in injuries. The most commonly reported injuries in the NBA as reported via the greatest number of days missed include ankle sprains, patellofemoral inflammation, knee sprains, and lumbar strains. Recent trends involve less focus on specific physical or clinical measures and increased attention on the assessment of functional movement patterns for the purpose of predicting the likelihood of injury. The Functional Movement Screen (FMSTM) was introduced as a pre-participation examination intended to evaluate the quality of seven basic movement patterns that require a balance of both mobility and stability. The functional movements tested include: deep squat, hurdle step, in-line lunge, shoulder mobility, active straight leg raise, trunk stability push-up, and rotary stability. It is designed to assess the extremes of specific movements and positions for the purpose of identifying potential limitation, compensation, and asymmetry in individuals without obvious pathology. Recent literature has linked this screen to injury prediction in numerous populations that may be predisposed to injury, including professional football players, firefighters, collegiate female athletes, elite track and field athletes, military personnel. The majority of reliability studies conclude that the FMSTM has good intra-rater reliability. While some researchers conclude that reliability increases with additional training and clinical experience, others claim that the FMS intra-rater reliability was not improved with FMS certification. Inter- rater reliability was reported in recent studies to range from moderate and good to high. The Y-balance Test (YBT) is pre-participation assessment used to screen individuals who may have potential for lower extremity injury. This test involves the examination of dynamic balance and postural control. While research is still lacking regarding the validity and utility of the YBT-LQ, the SEBT has been reported to have a moderate to strong effect size and that this test was reliable and valid as a dynamic predictor to lower extremity injuries. No studies have investigated the outcomes of YBT as an injury predictor in professional basketball athletes or the relationship of these factors with functional movement screens.https://ecommons.udayton.edu/dpt_symposium/1011/thumbnail.jp

The Relationship between Knee Valgus and Clinical Measures in Professional Basketball: A CART Analysis

Background/Purpose: Lower extremity injuries occur at an amplified rate in professional basketball. Evidence suggests that knee frontal plane valgus may be associated with risk of injury. The Landing Error Scoring System includes the assessment of maximum knee valgus during a countermovement jump. The investigation of interactions among linear and non-linear factors may help the understanding of the interdependence of various measures and poor performance on the knee valgus displacement (KVD) component of the LESS in professional basketball players. The purpose of this study was to investigate predictors of knee valgus displacement on the LESS. We hypothesize that a positive finding on the knee valgus displacement component of the LESS will be predicted by select clinical measures. Methods: 47 professional basketball players participated. Measurements were completed as part of preseason mobility screening prior to the 2015-16 and 2016-17 NBA seasons. Classification and Regression Tree Analysis (CART) were used to investigate linear and non-linear interactions among predictors and their influence on KVD in players who performed the LESS test. Results: Of the 47 players included in this study, 16 players did not test positive for KVD on the LESS test and 31 did. Pruning resulted in 4 splits (r2=0.507) demonstrating that KVD was predicted by total hip rotation range of motion, dominant leg hip external rotation, and standing arch height index measure. Predictive modeling, classified 18 of the 31 players with KVD and 8 of the 16 players who tested negative for KVD. The area under the ROC curve was .9183, suggesting that classification of players using this model was not random. Conclusion: KVD and performance on the LESS has been linked with injury. CART analysis captured linear and non-linear interactions between clinical measures suggesting that lower extremity biomechanical factors may be associated with predicting KVD during performance on the LESS. Clinical Relevance: KVD and the LESS test has been shown to be predictive of injury. Identifying which clinical measures may be linked with poor performance on this test may aide clinicians in determining appropriate interventions that may be associated with improved scores and minimize risk of injury.https://ecommons.udayton.edu/dpt_symposium/1000/thumbnail.jp