| Associations between Sports-Related Injuries and Functional Tests in Physically Active College Students: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| Paper ID : 1375-SPORTCONGRESS |
| Authors |
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Saeedeh Abbasi1, Danesh Zamani Rad *2, Nilofat Tajalli1, Seyed Hamed Mousavi3, Sahel Maleki4, Rana Gharaghani1 1Master of sport injury and corrective exercise 2Master of Sport injury and Corrective Exercises, University of Tehran 3Vice-Dean of Research and Technology 4master of sport and corrective exercise |
| Abstract |
| Introduction: The increasing participation of university students in sports has been accompanied by a rising prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries. Functional screening offers a cost-effective, non-invasive method to identify athletes at higher risk. This study aimed to examine the association between performance on the Functional Movement Screen (FMS™) and the Weight-Bearing Lunge Test (WBLT) and sports injury history in physically active college students. Methods: A total of 120 student-athletes (55 females, 65 males; mean age 26.7 ± 4.67 years) were assessed at the beginning of the season. Participants completed the FMS™ and WBLT, and information on sports-related injuries during the previous six months was collected using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using independent t-tests, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression to examine associations between functional test scores and injury occurrence. Results: Among participants, 31 (26%) reported a sports-related injury, predominantly affecting the lower limbs (77%), particularly the knee (57.9%) and ankle (36.8%). Injured participants had significantly lower FMS™ scores and reduced ankle dorsiflexion in the WBLT (p < 0.05). Logistic regression revealed a significant model (χ²(4) = 11.867, p = 0.018), in which lower FMS™ (B = -0.173, p = 0.05) and WBLT scores (B = -0.223, p = 0.01) were significantly associated with injury status. Conclusion: FMS™ and WBLT scores were associated with injury history in physically active college students. These findings support the use of functional screening as a practical tool to identify at-risk athletes and guide targeted preventive training strategies. Incorporating these assessments into routine athlete evaluation may help reduce the incidence of lower-limb injuries in university sports programs. |
| Keywords |
| Functional Movement Screen, Weight-Bearing Lunge Test, Sports Injury, College Athletes |
| Status: Abstract Accepted (Poster Presentation) |
