Y Balance Test

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Purpose

The Y Balance Test (YBT) is a tool used to test a person’s risk for injury. It can be used for both the upper quarter and lower quarter. The YBT for the lower quarter (LQYBT) has been thoroughly researched as its protocol is based on research done on the Star Excursion Balance Test. The Star Exursion Balance Test demonstrated reliable results on its ability to predict LE injury in high school basketball players (1), and the LQYBT has identified athletes at increased risk for injury (2,3).

Technique

The LQYBT has the patient stand on one leg while reaching out in 3 different directions with the other lower extremity. They are anterior, posteromedial and posterolateral. When using the Y-Balance test kit, the 3 reaches yield a “composite reach distance” or composite score used to predict injury. Research shows that collegiate football players with a composite score below 89% had an increased probability of injury from 37.7% to 68.1% (2). Therefore a cut point of 89% composite reach on the YBT was established (with a sensitivity of 100% and a +LR of 3.5) (2). For high school basketball players, the cut point was 94% (1). These studies reveal that each sport/population has it’s own risk cut point (1,2,3).

Resources

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