Hip Abduction-Adduction Strength and One-Leg Hop Tests: Test-Retest Reliability and Relationship to Function in Elite Ice Hockey Players
Abstract
Study Design
Single group, test-retest.
Objectives
To determine: (1) hip abduction and adduction torques during concentric and eccentric muscle actions, (2) medial and lateral one-leg hop distances, (3) the test-retest reliability of these measurements, and (4) the relationship between isokinetic measures of hip muscle strength and hop distances in elite ice hockey players.
Background
The skating motion used in ice hockey requires strong contractions of the hip and knee musculature. However, baseline scores for hip strength and hop distances, their test-retest reliability, and measures of the extent to which these tests are related for this population are not available.
Methods and Measures
The dominant leg of 27 men (mean age 20 ± 3 yrs) was tested on 2 occasions. Hip abduction and adduction movements were completed at 60° · s−1 angular velocity, with the subject lying on the non-test side and the test leg moving vertically in the subject's coronal plane. One-leg hops requiring jumping from and landing on the same leg without losing balance were completed in the medial and lateral directions.
Results
Hip adduction torques were significantly greater than abduction torques during both concentric and eccentric muscle actions, while no significant difference was observed between medial and lateral hop distances. Although hop test scores produced excellent ICCs (> 0.75) when determined using scores on 1 occasion, torques needed to be averaged over 2 test occasions to reach this level. Correlations between the strength and hop tests ranged from slight to low (r = −0.26 to 0.27) and were characterized by wide 95% confidence intervals (−0.54 to 0.61).
Conclusions
Isokinetic tests of hip abduction and adduction did not provide a strong indication of performance during sideways hop tests. Although isokinetic tests can provide a measure of muscular strength under specific test conditions, they should not be relied upon as a primary indicator of functional abilities or readiness to return to activity. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2001;31:446–455.
