Abstract
Pelvic floor (PF) dysfunctions have a wide variety of symptoms, with urinary incontinence (UI) being one of the most common in elite level sports. Symptoms of PF dysfunction often reduce the number of women participating in athletics and can prevent them from ideal levels of physical activity. Previous studies have shown hip strength does correlate with SUI severity in the general population, but correlation of hip function and landing kinematics has not been made in athletes that undergo more impact than the general population. This study may help to identify PF preliminary indicators of dysfunction in female athletes by understanding the role hip range of motion plays in jumping and landing tasks. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between hip range of motion and peak braking forces in female Division III acrobatics and tumbling athletes. METHODS: Twenty-one female acrobatic and tumbling athletes volunteered for this study and performed drop jump testing and hip external rotation (ER) and internal rotation (IR) range of motion (ROM) measurements. Data was filtered to include only subjects (n = 14; 163.4 ± 8.4 cm; 65.9 ± 10.9 kg) that completed all testing. On testing day, participants performed two drop jumps off of a twenty-four-inch box onto Hawkin Dynamic force plates to measure peak braking force (PBF). Participants were also put through hip internal and external range of motion while lying prone on the examination table. Data was analyzed in SPSS using multivariate linear regression with alpha set to 0.05 RESULTS: Left hip IR ROM predicted left leg PBF (R2 = 0.447; F = 9.71; p = .009). Left hip ER ROM also predicted left leg PBF (R2 = 0.835; F = 59.778; p = 2 = 0.305; F=5.255; p = 0.041). CONCLUSIONS: A significant, positive relationship was found between hip range of motion and peak braking force during landing tasks. The results of the study indicate that increased hip IR and hip ER both resulted in increased braking forces. This may suggest that force transduction capability of the lower extremity may be related to pelvic floor dysfunction, which may reduce incidence of UI in nulliparous athletes. More research is needed in this preliminary investigation to help clinicians develop a non-invasive test to assess PF dysfunction.
Recommended Citation
Colburn, Katyanna; Keratsopoulos, Nikolas; Kelly, Jaci; Brennan, Kindyle; Williamson, Peggie; Proulx, Laurel; and Parra, Mandy E.
(2025)
"Relationship of Hip Range of Motion and Peak Braking Force in DIII Female Athletes,"
International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 2:
Iss.
17, Article 185.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol2/iss17/185
