File
D.V. Kunchana Ravihara1, J.A. Ashani Irosha1, K.M.K.G. Sudeera Darshana1, H.M. Maheshika Prabodhanie1, G. Amara Damayanthi Perera1
1General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Department of Physiotherapy, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Background: Maintaining an adequate flexibility of the muscles of the lower lumbar spine helps to minimize spinal injuries mainly during sports activities. Therefore, accurate testing of lower lumbar flexibility is necessary. At present, lumbar flexibility is tested using many tests including the Sit and Reach Test (SRT), Back Saver Sit and Reach Test (BSSRT) and Modified Sit and Reach Test (MSRT) whereas the Modified Schober Test (MST) is considered as the criterion measure. In previous studies, the criterion related validity of SRT, MSRT, and BSSRT have been evaluated only in various non-Asian ethnic groups. They have found different validity values among those ethnic groups. But the validation or the comparison of any type of forward reach tests haven’t been investigated in Asian ethnic groups including national level athletes.
Purpose: To compare the criterion related validity of SRT, BSSRT and MSRT with the MST using a sample of national level athletes to identify the most accurate and efficient test to measure lumbar flexibility.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Physiotherapy rehabilitation center of the Ministry of sports Sri Lanka, among 94 national level athletes, aged 20-29 (mean 24.5) years. An interviewer administered general information sheet was used to collect demographic data. Data collection including taking measurements and recording was conducted by five trained investigators under the supervision of the chief physiotherapist. Criterion related validity of SRT, BSSRT and MSRT were compared with the MST. The differences of independent variables among left and right sides were evaluated using the paired t test and gender wise differences were evaluated using the independent sampling t test. We used the Pearson’s correlation coefficient to study the relationship between the PSLRT and the other tests. Stepwise multiple regression was used to identify the association between PSLRT and other tests. Furthermore, P value less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.
Results: A gender wise difference was evident among males and females for the MST (p = 0.00) Also considering the BSSRT, a significant difference is not found among the left and right-side scores of males (p = 0.57) and the females (p = 0.08). The Pearson’s correlation coefficient of SRT (males – 0.26, females – 0.26), MSRT (males – 0.22, females – 0.23) and BSSRT (males – 0.25, females – 0.12) were low in assessing lumbar flexibility. Also, only the SRT of females had a significant association (p = 0.05).
Conclusion(s): SRT, BSSRT and MSRT in assessing lower lumbar flexibility of both female and male athletes are not justified due to their low criterion related validity. Similar results have been found in previous studies which had used different populations.
Implications: We recommend using MST when assessing lower lumbar flexibility of national level athletes or of a similar population as it is identified as the most accurate and efficient test.
Funding, acknowledgements: The research is not funded by any source.
Keywords: Lumbar Flexibility, Criterion validity, Sit-and-reach tests
Topic: Sport & sports injuries
Did this work require ethics approval? Yes
Institution: General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Sri lanaka
Committee: Ethics Review Committee, Faculty of Medicine
Ethics number: RP/S/2018/22
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
