Hop to It! The Relationship Between Hop Tests and The Anterior Cruciate Ligament - Return to Sport Index After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in NCAA Division 1 Collegiate Athletes.
Michael Zarro, Madelyn Dickman, Timothy Hulett and 4 others
PMID 37795334WHAT IT FOUND
After ACL reconstruction in collegiate athletes, hop symmetry scores moved with psychological readiness scores, especially single hop and crossover hop.
The timed 6-meter hop did not move with them. This is association, not proof a hop test predicts safe return.
Key findings
01The single hop for distance limb symmetry index had a strong correlation with ACL-RSI score (r_s = 0.704, p < 0.001).
02The crossover hop for distance limb symmetry index was the only hop test that remained a significant predictor of ACL-RSI in the regression model and accounted for 66% of variance.
03The timed 6-meter hop limb symmetry index did not have a significant correlation with ACL-RSI.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only 21 athletes were studied, so the correlations may not be stable. The study was retrospective and used electronic medical records, so data accuracy and selection bias are possible. All participants were NCAA Division 1 collegiate athletes with primary bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft ACL reconstruction, so results may not apply to recreational athletes, other grafts, or patients with other lower extremity surgeries. The sample included 14 females and 7 males, and the authors note the results cannot be generalized to all patients after ACLR. The single leg vertical hop was performed last, and the authors suggest fatigue or test order may have affected its limb symmetry index. The study measured association with ACL-RSI, not whether hop tests predicted return to sport, re-injury, or clinical outcomes.
Declared interests
The authors reported no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the crossover hop result as evidence that a good hop score means an athlete is psychologically ready or safe to return to sport. The study only showed an association with ACL-RSI scores in 21 collegiate athletes, and it did not test return to sport or injury outcomes.