Comparison of Hip Range of Motion Values Among NCAA Division II Collegiate Athletes

Comparison of Hip Range of Motion Values Among NCAA Division II Collegiate Athletes

The purpose of this study is to compare hip passive range of motion (ROM) among division II collegiate athletes in order to obtain normative data for future research. The investigators hypothesize that there will be a difference in passive hip ROM among the different genders and sports.

Currently there is no normative data for hip passive ROM in apparently healthy NCAA division II collegiate athletes. This study will be the first study to develop preliminary normative data of hip passive ROM.

One hundred (N=100) student athletes (18-45 years) from California State University Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) will be recruited for this study via convenience sampling. Data collection will take place in the CSUDH sports medicine laboratory. Prior to testing, participants will fill out a screening questionnaire with questions that represent the exclusion criteria which will be used to determine ineligibility for this study.

Prior to participant recruitment and enrollment, a pilot study will be done on 10 participants to establish rater reliability using the methods mentioned below. After acceptable reliability is achieved, recruitment and enrollment will continue.

Participants who meet the inclusion criteria and consent to participate will be enrolled in the study. Participants will read and sign a CSUDH approved consent form prior to beginning data collection. Following consent, participants will also fill out a questionnaire to provide demographic information which includes age, height, weight, and leg dominance.

Following completion of the paperwork, all participants will undergo testing which will be conducted between the hours of 8am and 4pm. Each data collection session will last for approximately 20 minutes. Bilateral hip passive ROM data will be collected using the Noraxon computerized motion system. Participants will be lying in different positions on an examination table while the hip joints and lower extremities are moved into different positions and measured by the device which will touch the skin. Data will be collected and monitored by the examiner using the computerized system. The data collection protocol for both lower extremities are as follows:

1. Supine measures (passive): hip external rotation, hip internal rotation
2. Rest: 5-minute delay
3. Seated measures (passive): hip external rotation, hip internal rotation
4. Rest: 5-minute delay
5. Prone measurements (passive): hip external rotation, hip internal rotation

Collected data will be transferred to SPSS v.22 (IBM SPSS, Chicago, IL). Means,standard deviations, 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), and ranges for participant descriptive data will be calculated. Passive Hip ROM values will be presented using degrees and percentages. Athlete gender and sport differences will be calculated using the ANOVA statistic. The p-value will be considered significant at the .05 level using a two-tailed test (α2 =.05).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy student collegiate athletes

Exclusion Criteria:

• Presence of musculoskeletal, systemic or metabolic diseases that would affect lower extremity joint ROM or muscle function
• Presence of any current or past muscle or joint pathology of the hip, knee, and/or ankle that would affect lower extremity joint ROM or muscle function
• Inability to avoid exercise 4 hours prior to testing
• Inability to avoid medications that may affect the outcome of lower extremity joint ROM or muscle function