GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Lower extremity injury screening is a common tool in soccer due to the changes of direction,
jumping, landing, and cutting maneuvers players must exhibit. Talocrural dorsiflexion range of
motion (DFROM), vertical jump (VJ) and unilateral hop tests are used to assess ankle and knee
injury risk. Further, DFROM asymmetries may present a higher risk than reduced DFROM
alone. It is unknown how DFROM asymmetries affect these tests. Thus, the purpose of this study
was to examine the relationship between DFROM and hop and VJ performance, and to examine
the differences between those with and without DFROM asymmetries. The current results
suggest a positive relationship between DFROM and hop and jump performance, but no
differences in those with asymmetries. This suggests that DFROM may be important for these
tests but a battery for injury screening in soccer should include other assessments to account for
potential asymmetry compensation in the lower extremity.