Holden S, Boreham C, Doherty C, Wang D, Delahunt E. Pediatr. Phys. Ther. 2014; 26(4): 447-452.
Affiliation
School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Population Science (Ms Holden, Mr Doherty, Mr Wang, Dr Delahunt, and Dr Boreham); Institute for Sport and Health (Dr Boreham and Mr Delahunt), University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
PURPOSE:: To investigate dynamic postural stability performance of young adolescent athletes.
METHODS:: Eighty-nine male and 81 female athletes participated. Each participant performed 3 trials of the anterior, posterior-medial, and posterior-lateral reach directions of the Star Excursion Balance Test on each limb. Distance achieved for each direction was expressed as a percentage of leg length, with the composite reach distance of these directions being used for statistical analysis.
RESULTS:: No significant interaction effect for sex and limb dominance (P >.05) was found, nor was a significant main effect for sex or limb dominance (P >.05) observed. Notably, the composite reach distance achieved by both male and female athletes was less than 94% of leg length, a value that has previously been identified for increased injury risk in adolescent athletes.
CONCLUSION:: Further longitudinal research is needed to fully understand how dynamic postural stability changes over adolescence.