Characterization of hip passive stiffness of volleyball, basketball and futsal young athletes

• Published in: Physical therapy in sport Vol. 14; no. 4; pp. 227 - 231
• Main Authors: Lara Araújo, Vanessa, Otoni do Carmo Carvalhais, Viviane, Ribeiro Teles dos Santos, Thiago, Gomes Pavan Gonçalves, Gabriela, Sales Prado, Luciano, Teixeira Fonseca, Sérgio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2013; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adolescent; Age; Athletes; Basketball; Basketball - physiology; Child; Cross-Sectional Studies; Exercise Test; Female; Heart failure; Hip; Hip Joint - physiology; Humans; Male; Muscle Contraction - physiology; Muscle Strength - physiology; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; Physical therapy; Reference Values; Respiratory system; Sports Medicine; Stiffness; Values; Volleyball; Volleyball - physiology; Stiffness; Athletes; Hip; Adolescent
• ISSN: 1466-853X; 1873-1600
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ptsp.2012.10.002

Abstract Objectives (1) To establish the reference values of the test of ‘Position of hip passive resistance against gravity’ (PHPR) in young athletes; (2) To investigate differences between the values of PHPR test according to athlete's sex, age and sport practiced. Design Cross-sectional. Setting Sports club. Participants 282 Volleyball, basketball and futsal athletes aged between 10 and 18 years. Main outcome measures Hip passive stiffness was measured through PHPR test, which provides indirect information regarding this tissue property; high stiffness means low corresponding test values. Results The mean values of PHPR test ranged from 0.41 to 1.06°/kg. The test results were different among all age categories and the values were lower in older athletes ( p < 0.001). The PHPR test values of futsal players were lower than basketball players only in the intermediate age category ( p = 0.001). The female volleyball athletes had higher values than the male ones ( p < 0.001). Conclusion This study established reference values for PHPR test in young athletes, which allow therapists to obtain information regarding hip passive stiffness by means of a clinical test. Hip passive stiffness in young athletes increases with age, and female volleyball players showed lower values of this property compared with males.