Preseason Jump and Hop Measures in Male Collegiate Basketball Players: An Epidemiologic Report

Background: Injuries are inherent in basketball with lower extremity (LE) injury rates reported as high as 11.6 per 1000 athletic exposures (AEs); many of these injuries result in time loss from sport participation. A recent trend in sports medicine research has been the attempt to identify athletes who may be at risk for injury based on measures of preseason fitness. Hypothesis/Purpose: The purpose of this prospective cohort study was to determine if the standing long jump (SLJ) and/or the single-leg hop (SLH) for distance functional performance tests (FPT) are associated with non-contact time loss lower quadrant (LQ, defined as lower extremities or low back) injury in collegiate male basketball players. It was hypothesized that basketball players with shorter SLJ or SLH measures would be at an increased risk for LQ injury. Methods: Seventy-one male collegiate basketball players from five teams completed a demographic questionnaire and performed three SLJ and six SLH (three per lower extremity) tests. Team athletic trainers tracked non-contact LQ time loss injuries during the season. Study Design: Prospective cohort Results: Mean SLJ distance (normalized to height) was 0.99 (± 0.11) and mean SLH distances for the right and left were 0.85 ± 0.11 and 0.87 ± 0.10, respectively. A total of 29 (18 initial, 11 subsequent) non-contact time loss LQ injuries occurred during the study. At risk athletes (e.g., those with shorter SLJ and/or SLH) were no more likely to experience a non-contact time loss injury than their counterparts [OR associated with each FPT below cut scores = 0.9 (95% CI: 0.2, 4.9)]. The results from this study indicate that preseason performance of the SLJ and the SLH were not associated with future risk of LQ injury in this population. Conclusions: Preseason SLJ and SLH measures were not associated with non-contact time loss injuries in male collegiate basketball players. However, the descriptive data presented in this study can help sports medicine professionals evaluate athletic readiness prior to discharging an athlete back to sport after a LQ injury

Functional Performance Deficits Exist in Female NAIA Collegiate Athletes With History of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

This study compared preseason measures of standing long jump (SLJ) and single-leg hop (SLH) distances between female collegiate athletes with or without history of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). The data from 45 female collegiate athletes (mean age: 20.6 +- 2.2 years) competing at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletes (NAIA) level in three team sports (volleyball, soccer, and basketball) were collected as a subanalysis of measures for a prospective cohort study. There were no differences in SLJ or SLH distances between athletes with or without prior history of low back and/or lower extremity sports injuries. However, female athletes with prior ACLR jumped (SLJ; P = .02) and hopped (left SLH; P = .03) significantly shorter distances than female counterparts with no prior ACLR. Functional performance testing of female athletes in the preseason can identify athletes who may benefit from targeted exercise interventions. [ Athletic Training & Sports Health Care . 2016;8(5):216-221.

Prior History of Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Reconstruction is Associated with a Greater Risk of Subsequent ACL Injury in Female Collegiate Athletes

Objectives: The risk of a subsequent anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) sprain is greater in high school aged female athletes with prior history of ACL reconstruction (ACLR) than in age-matched controls. The risk of a subsequent ACL injury in female collegiate athletes with prior ACLR is unknown. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the relative risk of a subsequent ACL injury in female collegiate athletes with prior ACLR when compared to age-matched controls. The secondary purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of jump and hop tests to discriminate ACL injury risk. Design: Prospective cohort. Methods: Three hundred and sixty female collegiate athletes (mean age 19.3 ± 1.4 years) representing the following sports: volleyball, soccer, and basketball were recruited. Subjects reported prior history of ACLR and standing long jump (SLJ) and single-leg hop (SLH) scores were collected during the preseason. Noncontact time-loss ACL and lower quadrant (i.e., low back and lower extremities) injuries were tracked by university athletic trainers. Results: Female collegiate athletes with a prior history of ACLR were 6 times (RR = 6.8 [95% CI: 1.4, 32.9] p-value = 0.007) more likely to experience an ACL injury than controls. Suboptimal performance on a battery of tests (SLJ ≤ 79% height, (B) SLH ≤ 69% height) was associated with a greater risk of lower quadrant injury (RR = 1.6 [95% CI: 1.1, 2.4] p-value = 0.028); however performance on these tests was not associated with ACL injury. Conclusions: Female collegiate athletes should be screened for history of ACLR

Comparison of Jump and Hop Test Measures Between NAIA and Division III Male Collegiate Basketball Players

Purpose: To report normative data for two functional performance tests (FPTs) (the standing long jump [SLJ] and the single-leg hop [SLH]) in a population of male collegiate basketball players and to identify differences in measures between athletes based on level of competition, starter status, and position. Methods: Eighty-six male collegiate basketball players from six teams were recruited for this study. Each athlete performed three SLJs and three SLHs (bilaterally). Results: Mean (± SD) FPT measures (normalized to height) for all basketball players were: SLJ = 1.0 ± 0.1, right SLH = 0.84 ± 0.1, and left SLH = 0.85 ± 0.1. Significant differences in FPT measures were observed both within and between groups based on: level of competition, by player position, and by starter status. Conclusions: The data presented in this study can be used by coaches and athletic trainers to assess aspects of athletic readiness in male collegiate basketball players

Risk Factors Associated with Noncontact Time-Loss Lower-Quadrant Injury in Male Collegiate Soccer Players

Introduction: The incidence of time-loss injury in male collegiate soccer players in the United States (US) is 6.4 per 1000 athletic exposures. With thousands of male athletes competing in soccer at the US collegiate level each year, there is the potential for numerous time-loss injuries that may ultimately impact team success. Thus, identifying risk factors for injury is warranted. Purpose: The primary purpose of this study was to determine if preseason functional performance test (FPT) measures (the standing long jump [SLJ] and single-leg hop [SLH] for distance tests) were associated with an increased risk of a noncontact time-loss lower-quadrant (LQ) injury during the season. The secondary purpose of this study was to explore relationships between off-season training volumes and to determine if off-season training habits are associated with time-loss LQ injury. Results: Preseason FPT measures were not associated with an increased risk of time-loss LQ injury in male collegiate soccer players. However, lower levels of off-season training were associated with a threefold increased risk of injury. Conclusion: The SLJ and SLH may not be useful at discriminating risk of injury in male collegiate soccer players. Lower volume of time devoted to training in the off-season is associated with an increased risk of LQ injury. Practical implications: The SLJ and SLH tests should not be used as a screening tool to assess for risk of injury in male collegiate soccer players. The total volume of exercise performed during the week in the off-season is associated with future risk of LQ injury. The preliminary data presented here could be used by coaches to assist with their design of off-season strength training programs. Finally, the normative SLJ and SLH data presented can be used by sports medicine professionals when functionally assessing LE strength and one’s ability to return to sport after injury

Off-Season Training Habits and BMI, Not Preseason Jump Measures, Are Associated with Time-Loss Injury in Female Collegiate Soccer Players

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the standing long jump (SLJ) and the single-leg hop (SLH) tests to discriminate lower quadrant (low back and lower extremities) injury occurrence in female collegiate soccer players. The secondary purpose of this study was to determine associations between injury and off-season training habits or anthropometric measures. SLJ, SLH, and anthropometric measures were collected during a preseason screening clinic. Each subject completed a questionnaire providing demographic information and off-season training habits. Each athlete performed three SLJ and three SLH per leg. SLJ and SLH scores were not associated with an increased risk of a noncontact time-loss lower quadrant (LQ) injury. Athletes with a higher BMI or who reported less time training during the off-season were two times more likely to sustain an injury. Athletes who had both a higher body mass index (BMI) and lower off-season training habits were three times (relative risk = 3.1 (95% CI: 1.7, 5.5) p-value = 0.0001) more likely to sustain a noncontact time-loss lower quadrant injury. Preseason SLJ and SLH scores do not discriminate injury risk in female collegiate soccer players. Higher BMI and lower off-season training habits are associated with an increased risk of LQ injury

O-Season Training Habits and BMI, Not Preseason Jump Measures, Are Associated with Time-Loss Injury in Female Collegiate Soccer Players

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the standing long jump (SLJ) and the single-leg hop (SLH) tests to discriminate lower quadrant (low back and lower extremities) injury occurrence in female collegiate soccer players. The secondary purpose of this study was to determine associations between injury and o-season training habits or anthropometric measures. SLJ, SLH, and anthropometric measures were collected during a preseason screening clinic. Each subject completed a questionnaire providing demographic information and o-season training habits. Each athlete performed three SLJ and three SLH per leg. SLJ and SLH scores were not associated with an increased risk of a noncontact time-loss lower quadrant (LQ) injury. Athletes with a higher BMI or who reported less time training during the o-season were two times more likely to sustain an injury. Athletes who had both a higher body mass index (BMI) and lower o-season training habits were three times (relative risk = 3.1 (95% CI: 1.7, 5.5) p-value = 0.0001) more likely to sustain a noncontact time-loss lower quadrant injury. Preseason SLJ and SLH scores do not discriminate injury risk in female collegiate soccer players. Higher BMI and lower o-season training habits are associated with an increased risk of LQ injury