The interrater and intrarater reliability of the flexibility and strength tests included in the Sport Science Lab® screening protocol amongst professional rugby players.
Candice MacMillan, Benita Olivier, Natalie Benjamin-Damons
PMID 34007937WHAT IT FOUND
Most strength and flexibility tests in the Sport Science Lab protocol agreed closely between raters and across days.
However, the Modified Thomas test and hip external rotation tests showed poor to moderate reliability. Do not rely on these specific tests to screen elite male rugby players.
Key findings
01Most flexibility tests with continuous outcomes and all strength tests demonstrated at least substantial to almost perfect inter- and intrarater reliability.
02The Modified Thomas test and hip external rotation tests showed only moderate to poor interrater reliability and slight to substantial intrarater reliability.
03Interrater reliability for manual strength tests remained almost perfect despite large differences in rater size and strength.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The sample size was small (24 participants), and the study only included elite adult male rugby players, so results do not apply to women, youth players, or other sports. The reliability findings are specific to these two experienced raters; novice raters may not achieve the same agreement. The Modified Thomas test and hip external rotation tests showed poor reliability, limiting the protocol's utility for assessing these specific movements.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was approved by the University of the Witwatersrand Human Research Ethics Committee.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume the entire Sport Science Lab protocol is reliable. The Modified Thomas test and hip external rotation tests had poor to moderate agreement between raters, meaning two therapists could easily reach different conclusions about the same player's hip tightness.