Development And Reliability Of A Comprehensive Test Battery For Performance Diagnostic In Team Sports

Abstract

Team sports are characterized by complex coordinative and conditional abilities that are prerequisites for optimal performance and injury prevention of the athletes. To assess these abilities, comprehensive and reliable tests are needed. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the test-retest reliability of team-sports specific performance tests and to optimize test execution with respect to test quality. METHODS: Single-limb standing balance (SB_left, SB_right), straight-line sprint over 10 m (SLS_10), foot tapping test over 3 and 15 s (FTT_3 and FTT_15), Countermovement Jump (CMJ) and Drop Jump (DJ) were evaluated. 16 healthy students (8 males, 8 females) participated in the study, which was conducted in two waves with n=8 each. From the findings of study 1 (s1), test execution modifications for 3 of 6 tests were defined in study 2 (s2). Therefore SLS_10, FFT_3 and FFT_15 were analyzed with n=16. Results of SB, CMJ and DJ refer separately to s1 and s2. Test-retest was assessed on two occasions within 1 week. Reliability was analyzed by use of intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and 95%-limits of agreement (LoA). Classification of reliability was based on the following ICC values: <0.5: poor, 0.5 < 0.75: moderate, 0.75 < 0.90: good, >0.90 excellent. RESULTS: The overall ICC indicate an excellent reliability for SLS_10 (ICC 0.93; LoA -0.1 to 0.1 s). FTT_15 and FTT_3 show moderate to good reliability (FTT_15: ICC 0.74; LoA -1.4 to 0.8 Hz; FTT_3: ICC 0.77; LoA -1.4 to 0.9 Hz). CMJ demonstrate an excellent reliability for both studies with ICC 0.92 (s1) vs. 0.93 (s2) and LoA -2.5 to 6.2 cm (s1) vs. -1.2 to 4.5 cm (s2). SB_left (s1: ICC 0.66; LoA -139.2 to 199.1 mm; s2: ICC 0.68; LoA -97.6 to 83.8 mm) and SB_right (s1: ICC 0.61; LoA -70.8 to 200.7 mm; s2: ICC 0.67; LoA -81.9 to 111.4 mm) indicate a moderate reliability and DJ a good reliability (s1: ICC 0.77; LoA -5.6 to 7.4 cm; s2: ICC 0.81; LoA -5.2 to 5.4 cm) in both study groups. CONCLUSION: Except for tests of standing balance, all other tests revealed a good to excellent test-retest reliability by use of ICC with SLS_10 and CMJ as the outstanding tests. Test modifications towards s2 led to slight improvements in reliability. However LoA reveal remarkable intra-individual variations between s1 and s2 which should be kept in mind when testing and rating an athlete’s performance.