Relationship between the presence of sports injuries and field tests in junior athletes

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the relationship between sports injuries and field tests in 5 2 junior athletes. Medical check-ups were conducted by orthopedic surgeons to assess knee injuries and lower leg and foot injuries. The field tests included trunk flexion, single-leg full squat, deep squatting, and Active Straight Leg Raise (ASLR). In elementary school students, there was no relationship in all physical function scores between those with and those without knee injuries or lower leg and foot injuries. However, in junior high school students, lower scores in deep squatting and single-leg full squat were associated with a higher positive rate of knee injuries. Additionally, lower scores in trunk flexion strength and ASLR were associated with a higher positive rate of lower leg and foot injuries. These findings suggest that the physical function tests used in this study can play an important role in the early detection and prevention of lower limb injuries in junior high school students.