Objectives:To test 9+ screening batterie's intra-rater reliability, to provide indicative data of elite handball players, and to analyze difference between age, playing positions and level of play.
Design: Descriptive studySetting: Icelandic elite male handball players Participants: 182 elite male handball players.
Main Outcome Measures: Nine+ screening battery.Results: Reliability test: Intra-class correlation for the total score was 0.95. The correlation of each of the test factors varied from 0.63 to 0.91. The mean total score was 22.3±2.9 (95%CI 16.7-28.1), with no difference in total score comparing players age or level of play. Goalkeepers displayed a higher total score than other players (F3,151=5.75, p=0.001). Junior players had a lower score than senior players in tests measuring abdominal strength and core stability; Test 5; 2 (3, 182)=41.5, p<0.0001, Test 6; 2 (3, 182)=55.7, p<0.0001, Test 7; 2 (3, 182)=11.8, p<0.005, but higher scores in tests measuring trunk and shoulder mobility Test 8; 2 (3, 182)=18.2, p<0.0001, Test 9; 2 (3, 182)=22.2, p=0.006.
Conclusions:The 9+ intra-rater reliability was acceptable for the total score and individual tests. Age-related differences were provided in many individual tests.