Skip to main content

Master of Public Health

Examining the Relationship Between a Neuromuscular Control Baseline Battery for Sport-Related Concussion and Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Risk

AUTHORS

Moran R , . Neurology. ; 98(1 Supplement 1). S21-S22

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between the m-CTSIB and Landing Error Scoring System in a sample of collegiate female athletes.

BACKGROUND: Recent literature has linked concussion and neuromuscular deficits in the lower extremity after injury. Neuromuscular control is frequently assessed using balance measures for concussion, but also dynamically to identify anterior cruciate ligament injury (ACL) risk via jump-landing movement screening.

DESIGN/METHODS: Thirty-nine healthy, collegiate female soccer (n = 22) and volleyball (n = 17) athletes completed the modified-Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction of Balance (m-CTSIB) and the Landing Error Scoring System (LESS). Measures consisted of total m-CTSIB sway index scores on individual conditions (firm surface eyes open [condition 1] and eyes closed [2], foam surface eyes open [3] and eyes closed [4]), m-CTSIB overall score, and total LESS errors. LESS scores were also categorized into a low (0-4 errors) and high (5 + errors) risk to determine if athletes with worse neuromuscular control on the LESS has worse balance on the m-CTSIB. A Spearman’s rank-order correlation was conducted to determine the strength of the relationship between LESS and m-CTSIB performance. A series of Mann-Whitney test were performed to determine differences between low and high LESS performance on m-CTSIB performance.

RESULTS: There was a weak, negative correlation between LESS and m-CTSIB performance (rs(37) = -0.153, = 0.35). Further, there were no differences between the low and high risk LESS groups on sway index scores on conditions 1 ( = 158.5, = 0.39), 2 ( = 156.0, = 0.36), 3 ( = 165.5, = 0.51), or 4 ( = 128.5, = 0.08), as well as overall m-CTSIB scores ( = 150.5, = 0.28).

CONCLUSIONS: There appears to be a lack of relationship between the LESS and m-CTSIB tests, revealing the independence of static and dynamic lower extremity neuromuscular function. Athletes who may be more at risk for ACL injury due to abnormal jump-landing biomechanics, do not differ from low-risk athletes on baseline balance assessment.

Tags: