Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Date of Degree

6-2014

Document Type

Capstone Project

Degree Name

D.P.T.

Program

Physical Therapy

Advisor

Susan Pivko

Subject Categories

Physical Therapy

Abstract

The Lower Quadrant Y-Balance Test (YBT-LQ) is an evidence-based screening tool that measures one’s ability to maintain unilateral stance while reaching the contralateral leg in the anterior (ANT), posteromedial (PM), and posterolateral (PL) directions. The purpose of this study was to observe the performance of collegiate dancers on the YBT-LQ and compare it with that of other athletic populations from previously published studies. 39 healthy collegiate dance majors at the Purchase College Conservatory of Dance (ages 17-24 years; mean years of dance training 12.9 ± 3.9 years) participated in this study. Subjects stood on the central platform of the YBT-LQ device and used one foot to slide the reach indicator in each direction. After 3 trials, each subject's highest score per direction for right and left sides was recorded and used to calculate the reach asymmetry score for each direction. Each reach distance score was normalized by subject leg length and used to compute a composite reach score. Mean values were calculated for each outcome and compared to mean values of other athletes available from the literature, using a one-sample t-test. The mean reach scores for the dancers in each direction expressed as a percentage of leg length were: ANT: 75.0% ± 7.2%, PM: 121.6% ± 9.3%, and PL: 120.0% ± 8.7%. Mean composite reach score was 105.5% ± 7.7%. Mean reach asymmetry values were greatest in the PM direction (3.8cm ± 3.0cm) followed by the PL and ANT directions (2.8cm ± 2.1cm; 2.6cm ± 2.4cm). When compared to other groups of athletes, the dancers in this study performed superiorly in all outcome measures except for the ANT reach distance; dancers demonstrated a significantly superior performance compared to all other athletes in their composite score (p < 0.005), and PL reach distance (p < 0.0005). In the PM direction, dancers were observed to reach significantly further than all comparisons (p<0.0001), with the exception of professional soccer players (p=0.04). Dancers performed a significantly more symmetrical PL reach on each side when compared to all athletes (p < 0.0001) except professional soccer players (p = 0.18). The values outlined in this research demonstrate that dancers perform differently on the YBT-LQ than do other athletes. YBT-LQ normative values must be established for dancers before this test can be used as a screening tool for this population.

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