Physical Therapy in Sport
Volume 9, Issue 1 , Pages 25-33, February 2008

The reliability of musculoskeletal screening tests used in cricket

  • Rebecca J. Dennis

      Affiliations

    • NSW Injury Risk Management Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
    • School of Human Movement and Sport Sciences, University of Ballarat, P.O. Box 663, Ballarat, Vic. 3353, Australia
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author.
    • ,
  • Caroline F. Finch

      Affiliations

    • NSW Injury Risk Management Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
    • School of Human Movement and Sport Sciences, University of Ballarat, P.O. Box 663, Ballarat, Vic. 3353, Australia
    • ,
  • Bruce C. Elliott

      Affiliations

    • School of Human Movement and Exercise Science, University of Western Australia, M40835 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
    • ,
  • Patrick J. Farhart

      Affiliations

    • Cricket New South Wales, P.O. Box 333, Paddington, NSW 2021, Australia

Received 7 May 2007; received in revised form 5 September 2007; accepted 20 September 2007.

Abstract 

Objectives

To determine the inter- and intra-observer reliability of a field-based musculoskeletal screening protocol used to measure potential injury risk factors in cricket fast bowlers.

Design

Test–retest reliability study.

Setting

High performance Australian cricket.

Participants

Ten volunteers. Two sports physiotherapists conducted the testing.

Main outcome measures

Participants completed the following tests: knee extension; modified Thomas test (hip extension and abduction); hip internal and external rotation; combined elevation; ankle dorsiflexion lunge; bridging hold; prone four point hold; and calf heel raises.

Methods

For each of the tests, the participants were tested by each physiotherapist twice, and the inter- and intra-observer reliability were concurrently assessed.

Results

The inter-observer reliability of the tests was generally poor, with only four of the ten tests having an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) greater than 0.80 (range of ICCs 0.27–0.99). The intra-observer reliability of the tests was considerably higher, with nine tests having an ICC greater than 0.80 (range of ICCs 0.56–0.99).

Conclusions

With the exception of the bridging hold, all tests would be considered acceptable where only one observer was conducting the testing. However, only the ankle dorsiflexion lunge, combined elevation test, calf heel raise test and prone four point hold have acceptable reliability when there are multiple physiotherapists recording measurements.

Keywords: Musculoskeletal, Reliability, Cricket, Fast bowler, Intraclass correlation coefficient

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PII: S1466-853X(07)00098-3

doi:10.1016/j.ptsp.2007.09.004

Physical Therapy in Sport
Volume 9, Issue 1 , Pages 25-33, February 2008

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