| Predicting Lower Limb Injuries in Female Team Ball Sport Athletes Using Y-Balance and Single-Leg Triple Hop Tests |
| Paper ID : 1461-SPORTCONGRESS |
| Authors |
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مهسا حکیمی پور1, مریم فیجانی *2, نگار مومنی1 1Ph. D in Sports Injuries and Corrective Exercises, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran 2Ph. D Candidate in Sports Injuries and Corrective Exercises, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran |
| Abstract |
| Introduction: Lower-extremity injuries are prevalent among female team-sport athletes, particularly during intensive tournaments with condensed schedules. Functional performance assessments such as the Y-Balance Test (YBT) and Single-Leg Triple Hop Test (SLTHT) have been proposed as practical tools for identifying athletes at higher injury risk. However, evidence regarding their predictive validity in female university athletes remains limited. This study aimed to assess the ability of the YBT and SLTHT to predict lower-limb injuries among female team-sport athletes participating in the National University Sports Olympiad. Methods: A total of 108 female athletes (volleyball, basketball, handball, futsal) aged 18–30 years participated in this prospective study. All assessments were conducted on the dominant limb before competition. YBT composite reach scores and SLTHT distances (normalized to leg length) were recorded. Injury incidence was monitored during the 10-day tournament. Logistic regression and ROC curve analyses determined the predictive validity, optimal cut-off values, sensitivity, and specificity of both tests. Results: Thirty athletes (27.8%) sustained lower-extremity injuries. Injured athletes demonstrated significantly lower YBT (107.64 ± 10.24) and SLTHT (106.39 ± 29.70) scores compared with uninjured athletes (p < 0.01). Both tests significantly predicted injury risk (YBT: OR = 0.87, p = 0.001; SLTHT: OR = 0.95, p = 0.004). ROC analysis indicated good predictive accuracy for YBT (AUC = 0.845, cut-off = 118.7, sensitivity = 0.913, specificity = 0.712) and acceptable accuracy for SLTHT (AUC = 0.785). Conclusion: Both YBT and SLTHT demonstrated significant predictive validity for lower-extremity injuries, with YBT showing superior discriminative power. Integrating these field-based tests into pre-season screening may enable early identification of high-risk athletes and inform targeted neuromuscular training programs to prevent injuries and enhance performance. |
| Keywords |
| Y-Balance Test; Single-Leg Triple Hop Test; Injury Prediction; Female Athletes; Team Sports |
| Status: Abstract Accepted (Oral Presentation) |
