Upper Quarter Y Balance test performance: Normative values for healthy youth aged 10 to 17 years

Schwiertz, Gerrit; Bauer, Julian; Muehlbauer, Thomas

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0253144

Cited by 7 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Overall, the YBT-UQ in isolation may not be sensitive enough to differentiate between low- and high-risk groups to suffer an injury throughout the competitive season. As an additional reason for the lack of relationships between the YBT-UQ results and in-season injury occurrence, the performance of the present sample in terms of YBT-UQ norm values is only slightly above the reported reference values ( 39 ). The difference in total performance of the YBT-UQ between those at high risk and those at low risk remained relatively small, making significant results less likely.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 67%

Associations between upper quarter Y-balance test performance and sport-related injuries in adolescent handball players

Bauer

Panzer

Grüber

et al. 2023

Front. Sports Act. Living

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Handball players are at a high risk of suffering a sport-related injury. Recent studies in various adult populations (e.g., US Army soldiers/warrior athletes, and military members) showed that poor scores in the upper quarter Y-balance test (YBT-UQ) are related to an increased risk of injury. Yet, it is unclear whether this also applies to adolescent handball players. Thus, the present study aims to determine if pre-season YBT-UQ performance is associated with sport-related injuries during the competitive season in adolescent handball players. One hundred and thirty-three adolescent handball players (age: 15.4 ± 1.7 years; m = 99, f = 42) who competed in the second highest league in the Rhine-Ruhr region, Germany, during the 2021/2022 season participated in the study. Before the competitive season, the players performed the YBT-UQ to assess upper extremity mobility and stability of the throwing and non-throwing arm. Over the 8-month competitive season, the coaches monitored the occurrence of sports-related injuries once a week, using an injury report form from the legal accident insurance. Fifty-seven players (43%) incurred a sport-related injury during the competitive season, of which 27 (47%) had upper body injuries, and 30 (53%) were lower body injuries. The YBT-UQ performance of the throwing and non-throwing arm did not significantly differ between injured and non-injured players. Further, Cox proportional hazard survival regression model analyses revealed that only the presence of an inferolateral reach asymmetry score ≥7.75% arm length was associated with a moderate increase in the risk (hazard ratio = 2.18, 95% confidence interval = 1.02–4.68, p = 0.045) of lower but not upper or whole-body injuries. Our findings suggest that the YBT-UQ has limited value as a field-based screening tool to assess the risk of sport-related injuries in adolescent handball players.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 67%

Associations between upper quarter Y-balance test performance and sport-related injuries in adolescent handball players

Bauer

Panzer

Grüber

et al. 2023

Front. Sports Act. Living

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“…These processes occur in a curvilinear rather than a linear fashion ( 24 ). That is, changes in YBT–UQ performance vary depending on the stage of growth, maturation, and development, despite the same time periods ( 25 ). In this regard, Schwiertz and colleagues ( 25 ) showed that, especially for girls, significantly better reach values were achieved for the inferolateral direction by 10–11-year-olds compared to 12–13, 14–15, and 16–17-year-olds.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…That is, changes in YBT–UQ performance vary depending on the stage of growth, maturation, and development, despite the same time periods ( 25 ). In this regard, Schwiertz and colleagues ( 25 ) showed that, especially for girls, significantly better reach values were achieved for the inferolateral direction by 10–11-year-olds compared to 12–13, 14–15, and 16–17-year-olds. In the present study, significantly better reach values were also achieved by the younger swimmers with the least expertise level (C-squad) and the highest proportion of females (63%).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Inter-limb differences in upper quarter mobility/stability are not associated with performance in competitive swimmers

Borgmann,

Panzer,

Limpach

et al. 2024

Front. Sports Act. Living

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BackgroundThe Y Balance Test–Upper Quarter (YBT–UQ) is a cost-effective, well-established, closed kinetic chain test to assess inter-limb asymmetries in the upper quarter that could negatively affect swimming performance. Thus, the aim of the present study was to determine YBT–UQ performances and inter-limb differences as well as its association with swimming performance in athletes with diverging levels of expertise.MethodsForty female and male competitive swimmers (age range: 10–22 years) with different expertise levels (A-squad: n = 9, B-squad: n = 12, C-squad: n = 19) were tested (reach distances for the YBT–UQ) and swimming performance was calculated using the ratio of individual to world best time.ResultsYBT–UQ performances (i.e., inferolateral reach direction for the dominant arm: p = .027, ηp2 = .12 and the non-dominant arm: p = .031, ηp2 = .17) but not YBT–UQ inter-limb differences significantly differed between groups and were largest in swimmers with the lowest expertise level (i.e., C-squad). Further, YBT–UQ performances (i.e., inferolateral reach direction [r = −.68 to −.70, both p < .05] and composite score [r = −.65 to −.67, both p < .05] for both arms and medial reach direction for the non-dominant arm [r = −.64, p < .05]) but not inter-limb differences were significantly and negatively correlated with swimming performance among B-squad swimmers.ConclusionsOur results suggest that inter-limb differences in upper quarter mobility/stability are not influenced by the level of expertise and have no significant associations with swimming performance. However, greater reach distances were correlated with lower swimming performance for the B-squad swimmers indicating that a training-related increase in upper quarter mobility/stability could worsen swimming performance in those athletes.

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“…Our results showed: (a) significant side differences for the 14- (IL, SL, CS), the 15- (MD), the 16- (CS), and the 18-year-olds (SL), (b) IL reach asymmetry above the proposed YBT-UQ cut-off value of ≥ 7.75% AL [ 2 ] for the 13- and 14-year-olds only, and (c) YBT-UQ performance differences between ages (i.e., MD: 13- and 14-year-olds better than 17-year-olds; SL: 13-year-olds worse than 18-year-olds). Based on the age-specific normative values provided by Schwiertz et al [ 12 ] which are based on subjects randomly chosen from urban public schools in the Ruhr metropolitan area exhibiting a wide range of physical activity, the sub-elite handball players in the present study scored higher irrespective of reach direction and arm considered compared to this cohort.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Side differences of upper quarter Y balance test performance in sub-elite young male and female handball players with different ages

Bauer

Panzer

Muehlbauer

2021

BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil

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Background Handball is characterised by repetitive passing and shooting actions mainly performed with the throwing arm. This can lead to side differences (inter-limb asymmetry) in upper quarter mobility/stability between the throwing and non-throwing arm, which could even increase with advancing age (i.e., playing experience). However, side differences in upper quarter mobility/stability is associated with an increased musculoskeletal injury risk. Therefore, we assessed side differences in upper quarter mobility/stability in young handball players at different ages using a cross-sectional study design. Methods Upper Quarter Y Balance test performance of the throwing and non-throwing arm was assessed in 190 sub-elite young female and male handball players (13–18 years). Per arm, relative maximal reach distances (% arm length) for all three directions (i.e., medial, inferolateral, superolateral) and the composite score (CS) were calculated and used for an age × side analysis of variance. Additionally, partial eta-squared (ηp2) was calculated as an effect size measure. Results Irrespective of measure, statistically significant main effects of age (except for the composite score) and side but no statistically significant age × side interaction effects were detected. Further, limb asymmetry in the inferolateral reach direction was above the injury-related cut-off value (i.e., ≥ 7.75% arm length) in 13- and 14-year-olds but not in the older players. Conclusion The detection of limb asymmetry above the proposed injury-related cut-off value in younger players (13- and 14-year-olds) but not in older players (15- to 18-year-olds) may be indicative for an increased injury risk for the younger age group. Thus, prevention programs should be implemented in the handball training routine, especially for the younger ones.

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Upper Quarter Y Balance test performance: Normative values for healthy youth aged 10 to 17 years

Cited by 7 publications

References 18 publications

Associations between upper quarter Y-balance test performance and sport-related injuries in adolescent handball players

Associations between upper quarter Y-balance test performance and sport-related injuries in adolescent handball players

Inter-limb differences in upper quarter mobility/stability are not associated with performance in competitive swimmers

Side differences of upper quarter Y balance test performance in sub-elite young male and female handball players with different ages

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