Many injury prevention and rehabilitation programs aim to train hamstring and quadriceps co-activ... more Many injury prevention and rehabilitation programs aim to train hamstring and quadriceps co-activation to constrain excessive anterior tibial translation and protect the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) from injury. However, despite strong clinical belief in its efficacy, primary evidence supporting training co-activation of the hamstrings and quadriceps muscles for ACL injury prevention and rehabilitation is quite limited. Therefore, the purpose of the study presented in this paper was to determine if hamstring-quadriceps co-activation alters knee joint kinematics, and also establish if it affects ACL elongation. A computed tomography (CT) scan from each participant's dominant leg was acquired prior to performing two step-ups under fluoroscopy: one with 'natural' hamstring-quadriceps co-activation, one with deliberate co-activation. Electromyography was used to confirm increased motor unit recruitment. The CT scan was registered to fluoroscopy for 4-D modeling, and knee...
Novel research surrounding anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is necessary because ACL injur... more Novel research surrounding anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is necessary because ACL injury rates have remained unchanged for several decades. An area of ACL risk mitigation which has not been well researched relates to vertical stiffness. The relationship between increased vertical stiffness and increased ground reaction force suggests that vertical stiffness may be related to ACL injury risk. However, given that increased dynamic knee joint stability has been shown to be associated with vertical stiffness, it is possible that modification of vertical stiffness could help to protect against injury. We aimed to determine whether vertical stiffness is related to measures known to load, or which represent loading of, the ACL. This was a cross-sectional observational study of 11 professional Australian rugby players. Knee kinematics and ACL elongation were measured from a 4-dimensional model of a hopping task which simulated the change of direction manoeuvre typically observed w...
ABSTRACT
Background/Purpose: Movement ability is an often-overlooked component of sports science ... more ABSTRACT Background/Purpose: Movement ability is an often-overlooked component of sports science and sports medicine research and needs to be considered alongside the appraisal of physical fitness and performance characteristics. To achieve this, a standardised assessment tool is required. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new method for assessing movement ability and present results for intra- and inter-rater reliability. Methods: National level female football players (n=17) were assessed using a novel movement assessment tool, the Athletic Ability Assessment (AAA). Athletes were assessed according to the scoring criteria by the primary researcher in real-time and via video on two separate occasions to estimate intra-tester reliability. Inter-tester reliability was estimated using the difference between five other testers’ video-based scores. Results: The intra-tester minimal detectable change (MDC) for the composite AAA score was 2.9 points (90% confidence limits; 2.3 – 4.2 points) (2.5%; 2.0 – 3.6%) with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.97 (0.92 – 0.99). Inter-tester MDC for the composite AAA score was 2.8 points (2.5 – 3.3 points) (2.4%; 2.1 – 2.8%) with an ICC 0.96 (0.94 – 0.98) Individual exercise scores for the intra- and inter-tester show a similar range MDC of between 0.4 – 1.1 points and kappa statistic level of agreement between 0.32 -0.77. Conclusions: Results of the reliability analysis suggest high levels of agreement between scorers for total scores and provide reference values for minimal detectable changes using the AAA. The aim of the AAA is to become a reliable movement assessment protocol that addresses specific sporting populations. The reliability of AAA scoring established in this study is the first step in supporting the utilization of the AAA in future research. Key words: Functional movement, reliability, screening
Many injury prevention and rehabilitation programs aim to train hamstring and quadriceps co-activ... more Many injury prevention and rehabilitation programs aim to train hamstring and quadriceps co-activation to constrain excessive anterior tibial translation and protect the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) from injury. However, despite strong clinical belief in its efficacy, primary evidence supporting training co-activation of the hamstrings and quadriceps muscles for ACL injury prevention and rehabilitation is quite limited. Therefore, the purpose of the study presented in this paper was to determine if hamstring-quadriceps co-activation alters knee joint kinematics, and also establish if it affects ACL elongation. A computed tomography (CT) scan from each participant's dominant leg was acquired prior to performing two step-ups under fluoroscopy: one with 'natural' hamstring-quadriceps co-activation, one with deliberate co-activation. Electromyography was used to confirm increased motor unit recruitment. The CT scan was registered to fluoroscopy for 4-D modeling, and knee...
Novel research surrounding anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is necessary because ACL injur... more Novel research surrounding anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is necessary because ACL injury rates have remained unchanged for several decades. An area of ACL risk mitigation which has not been well researched relates to vertical stiffness. The relationship between increased vertical stiffness and increased ground reaction force suggests that vertical stiffness may be related to ACL injury risk. However, given that increased dynamic knee joint stability has been shown to be associated with vertical stiffness, it is possible that modification of vertical stiffness could help to protect against injury. We aimed to determine whether vertical stiffness is related to measures known to load, or which represent loading of, the ACL. This was a cross-sectional observational study of 11 professional Australian rugby players. Knee kinematics and ACL elongation were measured from a 4-dimensional model of a hopping task which simulated the change of direction manoeuvre typically observed w...
ABSTRACT
Background/Purpose: Movement ability is an often-overlooked component of sports science ... more ABSTRACT Background/Purpose: Movement ability is an often-overlooked component of sports science and sports medicine research and needs to be considered alongside the appraisal of physical fitness and performance characteristics. To achieve this, a standardised assessment tool is required. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new method for assessing movement ability and present results for intra- and inter-rater reliability. Methods: National level female football players (n=17) were assessed using a novel movement assessment tool, the Athletic Ability Assessment (AAA). Athletes were assessed according to the scoring criteria by the primary researcher in real-time and via video on two separate occasions to estimate intra-tester reliability. Inter-tester reliability was estimated using the difference between five other testers’ video-based scores. Results: The intra-tester minimal detectable change (MDC) for the composite AAA score was 2.9 points (90% confidence limits; 2.3 – 4.2 points) (2.5%; 2.0 – 3.6%) with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.97 (0.92 – 0.99). Inter-tester MDC for the composite AAA score was 2.8 points (2.5 – 3.3 points) (2.4%; 2.1 – 2.8%) with an ICC 0.96 (0.94 – 0.98) Individual exercise scores for the intra- and inter-tester show a similar range MDC of between 0.4 – 1.1 points and kappa statistic level of agreement between 0.32 -0.77. Conclusions: Results of the reliability analysis suggest high levels of agreement between scorers for total scores and provide reference values for minimal detectable changes using the AAA. The aim of the AAA is to become a reliable movement assessment protocol that addresses specific sporting populations. The reliability of AAA scoring established in this study is the first step in supporting the utilization of the AAA in future research. Key words: Functional movement, reliability, screening
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Papers by Nick Ball
Background/Purpose: Movement ability is an often-overlooked component of sports science and sports medicine
research and needs to be considered alongside the appraisal of physical fitness and performance characteristics. To
achieve this, a standardised assessment tool is required. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new method for
assessing movement ability and present results for intra- and inter-rater reliability.
Methods: National level female football players (n=17) were assessed using a novel movement assessment tool, the
Athletic Ability Assessment (AAA). Athletes were assessed according to the scoring criteria by the primary researcher
in real-time and via video on two separate occasions to estimate intra-tester reliability. Inter-tester reliability was
estimated using the difference between five other testers’ video-based scores.
Results: The intra-tester minimal detectable change (MDC) for the composite AAA score was 2.9 points (90% confidence
limits; 2.3 – 4.2 points) (2.5%; 2.0 – 3.6%) with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.97 (0.92 – 0.99).
Inter-tester MDC for the composite AAA score was 2.8 points (2.5 – 3.3 points) (2.4%; 2.1 – 2.8%) with an ICC 0.96
(0.94 – 0.98) Individual exercise scores for the intra- and inter-tester show a similar range MDC of between 0.4 – 1.1
points and kappa statistic level of agreement between 0.32 -0.77.
Conclusions: Results of the reliability analysis suggest high levels of agreement between scorers for total scores and
provide reference values for minimal detectable changes using the AAA. The aim of the AAA is to become a reliable
movement assessment protocol that addresses specific sporting populations. The reliability of AAA scoring established
in this study is the first step in supporting the utilization of the AAA in future research.
Key words: Functional movement, reliability, screening
Background/Purpose: Movement ability is an often-overlooked component of sports science and sports medicine
research and needs to be considered alongside the appraisal of physical fitness and performance characteristics. To
achieve this, a standardised assessment tool is required. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new method for
assessing movement ability and present results for intra- and inter-rater reliability.
Methods: National level female football players (n=17) were assessed using a novel movement assessment tool, the
Athletic Ability Assessment (AAA). Athletes were assessed according to the scoring criteria by the primary researcher
in real-time and via video on two separate occasions to estimate intra-tester reliability. Inter-tester reliability was
estimated using the difference between five other testers’ video-based scores.
Results: The intra-tester minimal detectable change (MDC) for the composite AAA score was 2.9 points (90% confidence
limits; 2.3 – 4.2 points) (2.5%; 2.0 – 3.6%) with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.97 (0.92 – 0.99).
Inter-tester MDC for the composite AAA score was 2.8 points (2.5 – 3.3 points) (2.4%; 2.1 – 2.8%) with an ICC 0.96
(0.94 – 0.98) Individual exercise scores for the intra- and inter-tester show a similar range MDC of between 0.4 – 1.1
points and kappa statistic level of agreement between 0.32 -0.77.
Conclusions: Results of the reliability analysis suggest high levels of agreement between scorers for total scores and
provide reference values for minimal detectable changes using the AAA. The aim of the AAA is to become a reliable
movement assessment protocol that addresses specific sporting populations. The reliability of AAA scoring established
in this study is the first step in supporting the utilization of the AAA in future research.
Key words: Functional movement, reliability, screening