ARE PELVIS AND LOWER EXTREMITY JOINT ANGLES DURING CLINICAL FUNCTIONAL TESTS RELATED TO ANGLES DURING MORE DYNAMIC RUNNING AND DROP JUMP TASKS?

Abstract

This study investigated whether peak joint angles during clinical lower extremity functional tests (Small Knee Bend [SKB], Single Leg SKB, Lunge and Hop Lunge) were related to peak angles during more dynamic landing tasks (Running and Drop Jump). Peak three-dimensional angles were quantified for each movement for 25 uninjured adults (22 ±4 years) and 23 uninjured young athletes (11 ±1 years) using a nine camera motion analysis system. In young athletes Pearson correlations between SKB and Drop Jump were moderate to very large (r=0.39 to 0.87). In adults and young athletes correlations between SKB, Single Leg SKB, Lunge and Hop Lunge with Running were moderate to very large (r=0.45 to 0.90). Clinical lower extremity functional screening tests are useful for estimating dynamic lower extremity alignment in adults and young athletes.