Landing Technique and Ankle-dorsiflexion Range of Motion are not Associated with the History of Lower Limb Injuries among Youth Basketball Athletes.
Luiz Augusto Borges Gomes, Ronaldo Alves da Cunha, Alexandre Dias Lopes and 3 others
PMID 37020438WHAT IT FOUND
Landing technique and ankle range of motion did not predict lower limb injury history in youth basketball players.
Age category was the only significant factor. Do not use these screening tests alone to assess injury risk in this population.
Key findings
01There was no statistically significant difference in Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) scores between athletes with and without a three-month history of lower limb injuries.
02There was no statistically significant difference in ankle-dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM) asymmetry between athletes with and without a three-month history of lower limb injuries.
03Multivariate analysis showed that the athlete's age category was the only factor associated with the presence of a three-month history of lower limb injuries.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The cross-sectional design cannot establish causality; injuries may have altered movement patterns rather than vice versa. Injury history was self-reported with a three-month recall period, which introduces recall bias. The sample was predominantly male and from younger age categories (U-12 and U-13), limiting generalizability to older or female athletes. Reliability analysis for ankle-dorsiflexion ROM measurements was not conducted due to logistical constraints. The study used ROM asymmetry rather than absolute ROM, which may not capture the same risk factors identified in other literature.
Declared interests
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that landing technique and ankle range of motion are irrelevant to injury risk based on this study. The cross-sectional design and use of asymmetry rather than absolute values limit the ability to detect these associations, and the null finding applies specifically to history of any lower limb injury in this youth population.