Single Leg Bridge Test is Not a Valid Clinical Tool to Assess Maximum Hamstring Strength.
Gabriela Bissani Gasparin, João Breno Araujo Ribeiro-Alvares, Bruno Manfredini Baroni
PMID 35693869WHAT IT FOUND
The Single Leg Bridge Test does not measure maximum hamstring strength.
Scores showed only poor association with isokinetic peak torque. Use it for strength endurance, not to clear players for return to sport based on maximum strength criteria.
Key findings
01SLBT scores had a poor association with both concentric and eccentric knee flexor peak torques.
02Between-limb asymmetry on the SLBT was poorly associated with concentric torque asymmetry and not associated with eccentric torque asymmetry.
03The SLBT should not be used as a clinical tool to assess maximum hamstring strength.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study was conducted during the first two weeks of preseason, so the results may not reflect the athletes' peak fitness levels. Both tests were performed in a single visit, which raises the possibility that residual fatigue from the isokinetic test could have impaired SLBT performance, despite the 10-minute rest. The SLBT relies on real-time visual tracking by the rater to judge technique faults, introducing potential measurement error. The sample consisted only of male soccer players, so findings may not generalize to female athletes or other sports populations.
Declared interests
The authors reported no potential conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the poor correlation as evidence that the Single Leg Bridge Test is useless. The paper states the test is a valid measure of hamstring strength-endurance, not maximum strength. The error is using an endurance test to make decisions that require data on maximum force production.