Performance and reliability of the Y-Balance Test (TM) in high school athletes

摘要

BACKGROUND: Lower extremity injuries account for 32.9 of the overall injuries in high school athletes. Previous research has suggested that asymmetry greater than 4 cm using the Y-Balance Test (TM) Lower Quarter (YBT-LQ) in the anterior direction is predictive of non-contact injuries in adults and collegiate athletes. The prevalence of asymmetries or abnormal YBT-LQ performance is not well documented for adolescents. The primary purposes of this study are: 1) to characterize the prevalence of YBT-LQ asymmetries and performance in a cross-sectional sample of adolescents; 2) to examine possible differences in performance on the YBT-LQ between male and female adolescents; and 3) to describe the test-retest reliability of the YBT-LQ in a subsample of adolescents.