Core stability measures as risk factors for lower extremity injury in athletes.
OBJECTIVE
Decreased lumbo-pelvic (or core) stability has been suggested to contribute to the etiology of lower extremity injuries, particularly in females. This prospective study compares core stability measures between genders and between athletes who reported an injury during their season versus those who did not. Finally, we looked for one or a combination of these strength measures that could be used to identify athletes at risk for lower extremity injury.


METHODS
Before their season, 80 female (mean age = 19.1 +/- 1.37 yr, mean weight 65.1 +/- 10.0 kg) and 60 male (mean age = 19.0 +/- 0.90 yr, mean weight 78.8 +/- 13.3 kg) intercollegiate basketball and track athletes were studied. Hip abduction and external rotation strength, abdominal muscle function, and back extensor and quadratus lumborum endurance was tested for each athlete.


RESULTS
Males produced greater hip abduction (males = 32.6 +/- 7.3%BW, females = 29.2 +/- 6.1%BW), hip external rotation (males = 21.6 +/- 4.3%BW, females = 18.4 +/- 4.1%BW), and quadratus lumborum measures (males = 84.3 +/- 32.5 s, females = 58.9 +/- 26.0 s). Athletes who did not sustain an injury were significantly stronger in hip abduction (males = 31.6 +/- 7.1%BW, females = 28.6 +/- 5.5%BW) and external rotation (males = 20.6 +/- 4.2%BW, females = 17.9 +/- 4.4%BW). Logistic regression analysis revealed that hip external rotation strength was the only useful predictor of injury status (OR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.77, 0.097).


CONCLUSIONS
Core stability has an important role in injury prevention. Future study may reveal that differences in postural stability partially explain the gender bias among female athletes.
Leetun
Darin T
DT
Kentucky Sports Medicine Clinic, Lexington, KY; Joyner Sportsmedicine Institute, Lexington, KY, USA.
Ireland
Mary Lloyd
ML
Willson
John D
JD
Ballantyne
Bryon T
BT
Davis
Irene McClay
IM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019567:Back Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007869:Leg Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology