The Lower-Extremity Functional Test and Lower-Quadrant Injury in NCAA Division III Athletes: A Descriptive and Epidemiologic Report

Abstract

Only off-season plyometric training practices seem to affect LEFT score times among female athletes. Women with slower LEFT scores are more likely to be injured than those with faster LEFT scores. Injury rates in men were not influenced by performance on the LEFT.

Preseason Functional Test Scores Are Associated With Future Sports Injury in Female Collegiate Athletes

“…(8,14,36,38). The LEFT course is 9.14 meters (m) in the north-south direction and 3.05 m in the west-east direction ( Figure 1) (8,14,36,38). Equilateral triangles consisting of 0.305 m (1.0 ft.) strips of tape were placed at the ends of each axis.…”

“…Before giving the command "go," athletes were told that they were to run in a forward direction from southernmost triangle to the northernmost triangle and back. As the athlete neared completion of each agility task, the primary investigator provided verbal instruction for the subsequent task and direction of movement (8,14,36,38). The sequence of drills in the LEFT are as follows: forward run, backward run, side shuffles, cariocas, Figure 8s, 458 cuts (plant outside foot), 908 cuts (plant outside foot), crossover 908 cuts (plant inside foot), forward run, and backward run.…”

“…The sequence of drills in the LEFT are as follows: forward run, backward run, side shuffles, cariocas, Figure 8s, 458 cuts (plant outside foot), 908 cuts (plant outside foot), crossover 908 cuts (plant inside foot), forward run, and backward run. Each drill, except the forward and backward runs, is performed in a counterclockwise and clockwise direction (8,14,36,38). A stopwatch was used to record (seconds) how fast an athlete completed the course.…”

“…A recent trend in sports medicine research is to determine the risk of injury during sport based on preseason functional performance test (FPT) measures (17,25,36). Functional performance tests such as the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT), the Lower Quarter Y Balance Test (YBT-LQ), the Functional Movement Screen (FMS), the drop vertical jump (DVJ), the standing long jump (SLJ), the single-leg hop (SLH) for distance, and the lower extremity functional test (LEFT) have been evaluated in a variety of populations (4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)16,(18)(19)(20)22,23,28,31,37,39). Preseason performance on the SEBT (e.g., reach distance asymmetry or lower composite scores) is associated with greater risk of LE injury in high school basketball players, collegiate football players, and Division I athletes (10,19,31,37).…”

ACL Return to Sport Guidelines and Criteria

“…The LEFT test was developed to create an in-clinic test that could incorporate the following factors: (1) progressively stress the patient, (2) incorporate acceleration and deceleration maneuvers, (3) perform multiple stresses to the lower extremity, (4) simulate varied movement patterns often encountered in reactive sporting activities, and (5) induce a fatigue factor during the test [24]. The LEFT test effectively identifies deficits during screening to identify potential injuries in athletes [46][47][48][49]. Consequently, it may have also have value in identifying residual deficits following ACL reconstruction which will guide the implementation of a successful rehabilitation program.…”