Determination of the criterion-related validity of hip joint angle test for estimating hamstring flexibility using a contemporary statistical approach.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the criterion-related validity of the horizontal hip joint angle (H-HJA) test and vertical hip joint angle (V-HJA) test for estimating hamstring flexibility measured through the passive straight-leg raise (PSLR) test using contemporary statistical measures.


METHODS
Validity study.


METHODS
Controlled laboratory environment.


METHODS
One hundred thirty-eight professional trampoline gymnasts (61 women and 77 men).


METHODS
Hamstring flexibility.


METHODS
Each participant performed 2 trials of H-HJA, V-HJA, and PSLR tests in a randomized order. The criterion-related validity of H-HJA and V-HJA tests was measured through the estimation equation, typical error of the estimate (TEEST), validity correlation (β), and their respective confidence limits.


RESULTS
The findings from this study suggest that although H-HJA and V-HJA tests showed moderate to high validity scores for estimating hamstring flexibility (standardized TEEST = 0.63; β = 0.80), the TEEST statistic reported for both tests was not narrow enough for clinical purposes (H-HJA = 10.3 degrees; V-HJA = 9.5 degrees). Subsequently, the predicted likely thresholds for the true values that were generated were too wide (H-HJA = predicted value ± 13.2 degrees; V-HJA = predicted value ± 12.2 degrees).


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that although the HJA test showed moderate to high validity scores for estimating hamstring flexibility, the prediction intervals between the HJA and PSLR tests are not strong enough to suggest that clinicians and sport medicine practitioners should use the HJA and PSLR tests interchangeably as gold standard measurement tools to evaluate and detect short hamstring muscle flexibility.
*Faculty of Sport and Physical Education of Toledo, University of Castilla La Mancha, Toledo, Spain; †Municipal Sports Council of San Javier, Murcia, Spain; ‡Sports Research Center, Miguel Hernandez University of Elche Alicante, Spain; §ISEN University Formation, Center Affiliated to the University of Murcia, Spain; ¶Faculty of Medicine, Department of Traumatology, University of Murcia, V. de la Arrixaca University Hospital, Murcia, Spain; and ‖INACUA Sports Center, Murcia, Spain.
Pilar
P
Sainz de Baranda
María
M
Rodríguez-Iniesta
Francisco
F
Ayala
Fernando
F
Santonja
Antonio
A
Cejudo
D056352:Athletes; D005260:Female; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013848:Thigh / Q000502:physiology