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Background Injuries during elite level competition like the Canada Games, occur frequently and injury history is one of the strongest predictors of future injury; however, this association is unknown in the Canada Games. Purpose To determine the association between injury history and incidence of lower extremity joint injury during Canada Games competition. Methods Data from the 2009 -- 2019 Canada Games (8710 male and 8391 female athletes) competitions were de-identified by the Canada Games Council for analysis. Injury data were cleaned and categorized for previous injury and injury type and location. Injury history was self-reported and included concussion, major surgical procedure, neck and back, trauma to joint or bone, and trauma to ligament or tendon. Injury from the Canada Games competitions were categorized to include ankle, knee, hip, and patellofemoral joint injuries. Chi-Square (χ² ) test of independence determined association between injury history and incidence of lower extremity joint injury during Canada Games competition. IBM SPSS (Version 26) was used for statistical analysis (p-value < 0.05). Results Four hundred and seventy-five ankle, 503 knee, 253 hip, and 106 patellofemoral joint injuries were reported during 10 years of Canada Games competitions. There were significant associations between history of neck and back injuries with ankle injuries and knee injuries, history of trauma and overuse of ligament or tendon with hip injuries and history of trauma or overuse of joint or bone with patellofemoral joint injuries. Conclusion These findings support previous literature suggesting that injury history is associated with future injury. Level of Evidence 3 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The lower quarter Y-Balance Test (YBT-LQ) is associated with injury risk; however, ankle range of motion impacts YBT-LQ. Arch height and foot sensation impact static balance, but these characteristics have not yet been evaluated relative to YBT-LQ. Objective: Determine if arch height index (AHI), forefoot sensation (SEN), and ankle dorsiflexion predict YBT-LQ composite score (CS). Design: Descriptive cohort. Setting: Athletic training laboratory. Participants: Twenty general population (14 females and 6 males; mean [SD]: age 35 [18] y, weight 70.02 [16.76] kg, height 1.68 [0.12] m) participated in this study. Interventions: AHI measurement system assessed arch height in 10% (AHI10) and 90% (AHI90) weight-bearing. Two-point discrim-a-gon discs assessed sensation (SEN) at the plantar great toe, third and fifth metatarsal heads. Biplane goniometer and weight-bearing lunge tests were used to measure static and weight-bearing dorsiflexion, respectively. The YBT-LQ assessed dynamic single-leg balance. Results: For right-limb dynamic single-leg balance, AHI90 and SEN were included in the final sequential prediction equation; however, neither model significantly (P = .052 and .074) predicted variance in YBT-LQ CS. For left-limb dynamic single-leg balance, both SEN and weight-bearing lunge test were included in the final sequential prediction equation. The regression model (SEN and weight-bearing lunge test) significantly (P = .047) predicted 22% of the variance in YBT-LQ CS. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that foot characteristics may play a role in YBT-LQ CS. The authors did not assess limb dominance in this study; therefore, the authors are unable to determine which limb would be the stance versus kicking limb. However, altered SEN and weight-bearing dorsiflexion appear to be contributing factors to YBT-LQ CS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical Scenario: Lower-extremity injuries in the United States costs millions of dollars each year. Athletes should be screened for neuromuscular deficits and trained to correct them. The tuck jump assessment (TJA) is a plyometric tool that can be used with athletes. Clinical Question: Does the TJA demonstrate both interrater and intrarater reliability in healthy individuals? Summary of Key Findings: Four of the 5 articles included in this critically appraised topic showed good to excellent reliability; however, caution should be taken in interpreting these results. Although composite scores of the TJA were found to be reliable, individual flaws do not demonstrate reliability on their own, with the exception of knee valgus at landing. Aspects of the TJA itself, including rater training, scoring system, playback speed, volume, and number of views allotted, need to be standardized before the reliability of this clinical assessment can be further researched. Clinical Bottom Line: The TJA has shown varying levels of reliability, from poor to excellent, for both interrater and intrarater reliability, given current research. Strength of Recommendation: According to the Centre for Evidence Based Medicine levels of evidence, there is level 2b evidence for research into the reliability of the TJA. This evidence has been demonstrated in elite, adolescent, and college-level athletics in the United Kingdom, Spain, and the United States. The recommendation of level 2b was chosen because these studies utilized cohort design for interrater and intrarater reliability across populations. An overall grade of B was recommended because there were consistent level 2 studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Athletes participating in upper-extremity-dominant sports such as softball and volleyball are at increased risk for glenohumeral-joint pain and injury. For these athletes, an integral part of many injury-prevention and -rehabilitation programs includes improving joint proprioception. One way to measure joint proprioception is through the reproduction of joint angles, or joint-reposition sense (JRS). Kinesiology tape is purported to enhance neuromuscular feedback; therefore, it may influence JRS. However, conflicting findings and the lack of research in the upper extremity warrant further investigation. Objective: To determine the effects of kinesiology tape on shoulder-joint proprioception by actively reproducing joint angles, or measurement of JRS. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: College laboratory. Participants: 9 men and 7 women 24 ± 3 y old. Intervention: SpiderTech kinesiology tape precut Shoulder Spider was applied to the shoulder of participants block randomized to the experimental group, following product-specific instructions, to measure its influence on JRS compared with a control group. Main Outcome Measurement: JRS-error scores in shoulder flexion, extension, internal rotation, and external rotation (ER). Results: There was a significant interaction between groups pre- to postintervention resulting in decreased JRS errors in flexion (P = .04) and ER (P = .03) in the experimental compared with the control group. The 95% confidence intervals suggest a clinically relevant difference in the variability of JRS errors between postintervention movements for the experimental group in flexion and ER, such that the control group demonstrated much more variability in JRS errors than the experimental group. Conclusions: After the application of kinesiology tape the JRS errors were smaller in flexion and ER. This may be of clinical significance in improving proprioception and thus improving joint stability. Additional research should determine the effectiveness of kinesiology tape in reducing joint injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) evaluates performance in 7 fundamental movement patterns using a 4-point scale. Previous studies have reported increased injury risk with a composite score (CS) of 14/21 or less; these studies were limited to specific sports and injury definition. Objective: To examine the association between FMS CS and movement pattern scores and acute noncontact and overuse musculoskeletal injuries in division I college athletes. An exploratory objective was to assess the association between injury and FMS movement pattern asymmetry. Design: Prospective cohort. Setting: College athletic facilities. Participants: 167 injury-free, college basketball, football, volleyball, cross country, track and field, swimming/diving, soccer, golf, and tennis athletes (males = 89). Intervention: The FMS was administered during preparticipation examination. Main Outcome Measure: Noncontact or overuse injuries that required intervention from the athletic trainer during the sport season. Results: FMS CS was not different between those injured (n = 74; 14.3 ± 2.5) and those not (14.1 ± 2.4; P = .57). No point on the ROC curve maximized sensitivity and specificity; therefore previously published cut-point was used for analysis with injury (≤14 [n = 92]). After adjustment, no statistically significant association between FMS CS and injury (odds ratio [OR] = 1.01, 95% CI 0.53--1.91) existed. Lunge was the only movement pattern that was associated with injury; those scoring 2 were less likely to have an injury vs those who scored 3 (OR = 0.21, 95% CI 0.08--0.59). There was also no association between FMS movement pattern asymmetry and injury. Conclusion: FMS CS, movement patterns, and asymmetry were poor predictors of noncontact and overuse injury in this cohort of division I athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There are varied reports in the literature regarding the association of the Functional Movement Screen™ (FMS™) with injury. The FMS™ has been correlated with hamstring range of motion and plank hold times; however, limited research is available on the predictability of lower extremity range of motion (ROM) and core function on FMS™ performance. Purpose/Hypotheses: The purpose of this study was to examine whether active lower extremity ROM measurements and core functional tests predict FMS™ performance. The authors hypothesized that lower extremity ROM and core functional tests would predict FMS™ composite score (CS) and performance on individual FMS™ fundamental movement patterns. Study Design: Descriptive cohort study Methods: Forty recreationally active participants had active lower extremity ROM measured, performed two core functional tests, the single leg wall sit hold (SLWS) and the repetitive single leg squat (RSLS), and performed the FMS™. Independent t tests were used to assess differences between right and left limb ROM measures and outcomes of core functional tests. Linear and ordinal logistic regressions were used to determine the best predictors of FMS™ CS and fundamental movement patterns, respectively. Results: On the left side, reduced DF and SLWS significantly predicted lower FMS™ CS. On the right side only reduced DF significantly predicted lower FMS™CS. Ordinal logistic regression models for the fundamental movement patterns demonstrated that reduced DF ROM was significantly associated with lower performance on deep squat. Reduced left knee extension was significantly associated with better performance in left straight leg raise; while reduced right hip flexion was significantly associated with reduced right straight leg raise. Lower SLWS was associated with reduced trunk stability performance. Conclusions: FMS™ movement patterns were affected by lower extremity ROM and core function. Researchers should consider lower FMS™ performance as indicative of underlying issues in ROM and core function. Clinicians may consider ROM interventions and core training strategies to improve FMS™ CS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although functional tests including the single leg hop (SLH), triple hop (TH), cross over hop (COH) for distance, and the tuck jump assessment (TJA) are used for return to play (RTP) criteria for post anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, sport-specific baseline measurements are limited. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine differences in SLH, TH, and COH distance and limb symmetry index (LSI), as well as total scores, number of jumps, and individual flaws of the TJA in 97 injury-free Division I (DI) collegiate female student athletes participating in ACL injury prone vs. non ACL injury prone sports. The hypothesis was that significant mean differences and asymmetries (LSI) would exist between the two groups in SLH, TH, COH and TJA. Study Design: Cross sectional. Methods: Due to research suggesting inherent ACL injury risk associated with specific sport involvement, participants were grouped into high (HR, n = 57) and low (LR, n = 40) ACL injury risk based on participating in a sport with high or low ACL injury rates. The HR group was composed of athletes participating in soccer, basketball, and volleyball, while the LR group athletes participated in diving, cross country, and track and field. Participants performed all standard functional tests (SFT) and side-to-side differences for each participant as well as between group differences were assessed for the hop tests. The LSI, a ratio frequently used to gauge athletes' readiness for RTP post injury, was also assessed for between group differences. The TJA was compared between the groups on individual flaws, overall scores, and number of jumps performed. Results: No between group differences for hop distances were found, with medium to large effect sizes for SLH, TH, and COH. The HR group had a higher TJA score, number of jumps, and higher proportion of the flaw of 'foot placement not shoulder width apart'. Conclusion: Although most SFT's showed no significant differences between athlete groups, some differences were seen in the TJA; the HR group showed an increase in 'foot placement not shoulder width apart' flaw, higher overall flaw scores, and overall jumped more times compared to the LR group. These results may warrant caution in relying solely on SFT for RTP decisions, due to potential asymmetries seen in an uninjured population with baseline testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]