Reference data for hop tests used in pediatric ACL injury rehabilitation: A cross‐sectional study of healthy children

Abstract

In rehabilitation, four single‐leg hop tests are frequently used for evaluation of ACL‐injured children. However, reference values on single‐leg hop performance and the corresponding limb symmetry indexes (LSIs) of healthy children younger than 15 years of age are lacking. Thus, the purpose was to describe hop performance and LSIs in healthy Danish children, and to quantify the proportion of participants passing LSI values of ≥85% as well as ≥90%. Healthy children aged 9–15 years were invited to participate in the study. Hop performance (single hop, 6‐m timed hop, triple hop, and cross‐over hop) was assessed for each leg for each hop test and expressed as absolute, normalized (to body height), and LSI values. Descriptive statistics were applied to calculate mean ±SD for all outcomes within age and gender groups. Further, the 95% reference interval was calculated for each age and gender group. A total of 531 healthy children (52% girls) were included in the study, representing seven age groups (9‐15 years). The LSI group means across all participants for the four hop tests ranged between 84 and 95%. Between 70 and 83% of the children had an LSI of ≥85%, while 50 to 65% of the children had an LSI of ≥90%. The present reference material can be used in clinical practice when evaluating hop performance in pediatric ACL patients.

No correlation between performance tests, clinical measurements and data from patient-reported outcome measures (PROM) in children reconstructed for anterior cruciate ligament injury

“…The functional performance tests consisted of the four single‐legged hop tests [29]: single hop (SH), 6‐m timed hop (6‐m timed), Triple hop (TH) and Cross‐over hop (COH), which have a moderate to high inter‐and intra‐rater reliability with an ICC (2,1) (intraclass correlation coefficient) between 0.62 and 0.91 [20]. The instructions and procedures have been described earlier [37].…”

Reactive strength index during single-limb vertical continuous jumps after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: cross-sectional study

“…Finally, data from healthy athletes are often analyzed separately for dominant and non-dominant limbs [ 48 , 50 , 51 ]. However, we segregated the data in this study into poorly-performing and well-performing limbs [ 40 , 62 ]. RSI is a variable that can be altered by limb dominance [ 63 ].…”

Functional performance tests, clinical measurements, and patient‐reported outcome measures do not correlate as outcomes 1 year after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

“…The intra- and inter-rater reliability of these tests is moderate to excellent [ 18 ]. The test procedures are described in detail by Warming et al [ 32 ].…”

“…The intra-and inter-rater reliability of these tests is moderate to excellent [18]. The test procedures are described in detail by Warming et al [32]. After 5 min of warming up, typically on an exercise bike, followed by 2 min of stretching, the patients made three practice trials prior to each test with adequate rest periods between trials to minimize the effects of fatigue.…”