Skip to content

Assessment of the Reliability and Validity of the Leg Lateral Reach Test in Adolescent Tennis Players

Assessment of the Reliability and Validity of the Leg Lateral Reach Test to Measure Thoraco-Lumbo-Pelvic Rotation in Adolescent Tennis Players

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06025656
Enrollment
24
Registered
2023-09-06
Start date
2023-09-15
Completion date
2024-01-15
Last updated
2024-01-25

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Athletic Injuries, Mobility Limitation, Spine Injury, Trunk Injury

Keywords

Spine, Leg lateral reach test, Range of motion, Tennis player, Low Back Pain, Mobility

Brief summary

The aim of this study is to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Leg Lateral Reach Test to measure thoraco-lumbo-pelvic segment mobility in adolescent tennis players. The fact that the test is valid and reliable for tennis players will contribute to monitoring trunk rotation flexibility in athletes, comparing them bilaterally, and revealing the exercise training necessary to improve performance.

Detailed description

Tennis is a sport characterized by coordinated, repetitive, and rotational movements along the kinetic chain. Ineffective use of the trunk segment to generate rotational momentum is thought to increase the load on the upper extremity. Limited trunk rotation flexibility can cause abnormal trunk motion patterns, resulting in lower back injuries and pain as well as upper extremity injuries in throwing athletes. Therefore, assessment of trunk flexibility in athletes who perform repetitive trunk rotations, such as tennis players, is critical for effective rehabilitation and prevention of sports injuries. The Leg Lateral Reach Test was developed to measure the rotation of the thoraco-lumbo-pelvic segment and was found to be valid and reliable in physically active, healthy individuals. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Leg Lateral Reach Test to measure thoraco-lumbo-pelvic segment mobility in adolescent tennis players. The fact that the test is valid and reliable for tennis players will contribute to monitoring trunk rotation flexibility in athletes, comparing them bilaterally, and revealing the exercise training necessary to improve performance.

Interventions

DIAGNOSTIC_TESTLeg Lateral Reach Test

To conduct the leg reach test, participants began by positioning themselves with their arms hanging at their sides. They were then guided to raise the leg under assessment and extend it across the opposite leg to make contact with a wooden bar, employing trunk rotation in the process. During each trial, participants were consistently motivated to ensure that both shoulders remained in contact with the floor and to stretch their tested leg as far as they could along the length of the wooden bar. If a participant was unable to sustain contact between their foot and the wooden bar for a duration of 5 seconds at the point of maximal reach, or if both shoulders lifted off the floor, that specific trial was considered invalid and not included in the analysis. Each participant completed three repetitions of this test for both the right and left sides, and the average of their reach distances was subsequently calculated for assessment.

Sponsors

Gazi University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SEQUENTIAL
Primary purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
11 Years to 18 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Adolescent tennis players

Exclusion criteria

* Athletes with a history of musculoskeletal injury or surgery in the last year that would prevent the tests from being performed * Athletes who feel pain in the trunk and lower extremities during the tests

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Leg Lateral Reach Test-1first dayThe leg lateral reach test will be measured by the first investigator.
Leg Lateral Reach Test-2first dayThe leg lateral reach test will be measured by the second investigator.
Leg Lateral Reach Test-35-7 days afterThe leg lateral reach test will be measured by the first investigator.
Leg Lateral Reach Test-45-7 days afterThe leg lateral reach test will be measured by the second investigator.
Seated Rotation Testfirst dayA seated rotation test will be measured for validity analysis.

Countries

Turkey (Türkiye)

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026