Lower extremity injury risk assessment of young basketball players with musculoskeletal screening and functional tests according to their position on the court

The aim of the study to investigate lower extremities' injury risks according to their position on the court by basketball-specific musculoskeletal screening (BSS), Y balance test (YBT), crossover hop test (CHT), weight-bearing lunge test (WBLT) and landing error scoring system (LESS) in the young basketball players. The study included for assessment of basketball players 88 volunteers' basketball players (26K, 62E; 20.09±2.25 yrs.) who applied to at the Laboratory of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Department of Health and Science Faculty of Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey between November 2019-January 2020. Basketball players evaluated were divided into three groups as guards (n=33), forwards (n=28), and pivots (n=27) according to their positions. Y balance test was used in order to assess the players' balance, landing error scoring system was used to identify landing errors, WBLT was used to measure of dorsiflexion ROM of ankle, BSS was used to describe players' mobility, and stability continuum and primary and secondary movement patterns and crossover hop test was used to assess player's neuromuscular deficit of lower extremity. According to the results of statistical analysis, the groups were homogeneously distributed in terms of gender, p>0.05. There were no statistically significant differences in BSS, YBT, WBLT, and CHT, p>0.05. Also, there were statistical differences in LESS guards and pivots (p=0.044) and guards and forwards (p=0.000). When we compared the scores of guards-forwards and guards-pivots, guards have shown better scores than forwards and pivots, and also, there was a statistically significant difference in guards forwards and guards pivots. Consequently, compared to the guards, pivots and forwards may be at increased risk of injury, p<0.05.