A qualitative scoring system of unilateral loading, assessment of movement quality in youth multisport athletes during growth

Background Movement quality has been identified as an important physical quality within the youth athlete. However, evidence around effects of growth/maturation on movement quality as a risk factor for injury is limited. 3D measures are considered international standard, they are not always practical within the youth environment, feasible field-based alternative methods are required. Objective To establish validity and reliability of Qualitative Assessment of Single Leg Loading (QASLS) tool in adolescent multisport athletes at different stages of growth Design Test-Retest Cross Sectional Study. Setting Field based setting within athlete academy. Participants 35 (20 male, 15 female) multisport athletes participated in this study. Interventions 2 unilateral loading tasks were analysed – single leg squat and single leg land – participants were assessed every month for 8-month period performances were evaluated based on their maturational status as determined via peak height velocity (PHV). Main Outcome Measurements 2D Kinematic Parameters – Trunk Lean (Frontal and Sagittal), Hip Adduction Angle, Frontal Plane Projection Angle (FPPA) and Qualitative QASLS Score of movement quality. Results Results suggest that QASLS and 2D parameters maybe reliability assessed in youth multisport athletes. Within subject compound scoring variation is high. Pre and circa PHV athletes demonstrated greatest variation in movement strategies with highest scores and numbers of strategies used and post PHV the least. Conclusions This study highlights greater use of increased movement strategies during growth and thus increased prevalence of potential risk factors in younger and athletes encountering the growth spurt. This may have injury, monitoring and return to play implications