Preseason functional tests discriminate injury risk in female collegiate volleyball players

Abstract

ObjectivePreseason functional tests have been previously associated with noncontact time-loss lower extremity injuries in a variety of athletic populations. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of one or more functional tests to discriminate injury risk in a cohort of female collegiate volleyball players in the United States. DesignProspective cohort study. SettingNational Collegiate Athletic Association Division II & III, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics female volleyball players; Participants130 female volleyball players (mean age: 19.31 ± 1.1 years). Main outcome measureLower extremity functional test, single limb hop for distance, standing long jump, previous injury history, lower quarter Y-balance test, and limb symmetry index were measured prior to the season beginning. Noncontact time-loss lower quarter injuries were tracked during the season. ResultsAthletes with suboptimal scores on the single limb hop test (<70% of height) and standing long jump (<80% of height), combined with a previous history of injury, were three times more likely to sustain an injury during the season (OR = 3.0; 95% CI: 1.09 to 8.30). Individual functional tests did not discriminate injury risk. ConclusionsA battery of preseason functional tests and injury history discriminates injury risk in female collegiate volleyball players.