When you think of sports, you generally think of speed, agility, strength or endurance, not balance and stability. But without proper balance and stability, an athlete's risk of injury increases. Balance and stability come with adequate core strength. For example, when football, basketball and soccer players have to stop and turn on a dime, that takes extreme stability to keep from tearing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the knee. Athletes also work in all planes of motion, not just the forward direction. Having proper balance and stability will ensure that even when sidestepping and moving backwards or laterally, they will remain upright and balanced. There are a battery of tests that can be used to measure an athlete's balance and stability that will improve her performance and prevent catastrophic injury.
Star Excursion Balance Test
Jason Brumitt, a board-certified sports physical therapist with the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), suggests this test for balance assessment. Place six-foot strips of athletic tape on the ground in an "X" pattern, and place a "+" atop the "X" to create a star-shaped pattern with eight points, all 45 degrees apart. Have the athlete stand in the intersection of the tape on his left leg. He will extend his right leg forward to touch the tape to the front with his toes, and return to center. The he will reach and touch the tape 45 degrees over, and return. Repeat this motion in all eight directions, then again with the right leg anchored. This will allow you to see where his instability lies and with which leg he is more balanced.
Deep Squat
From the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) offered by Functional Movement Systems, a system for exercise professionals, the deep squat is designed to assess functional movement, balance and stability, and correct postural imbalances for better performance and safety. For this test all you need is a three-foot dowel. Have the athlete hold the dowel over her head, with her hands about shoulder distance apart, and stand with feet shoulder distance apart as well. She will perform a series of squats facing forward, sideways and backwards. Look for knees moving inward or out, knees going over toes, heels lifting up, and excessive forward leaning or arching. These are signs of muscle imbalances and instability that need to be corrected.
Hurdle Step
Also a part of the FMS, this test assesses stability of the hip, knee and ankle, as well as balance. You need a hurdle that is knee height and a three-foot dowel. Have the athlete hold the dowel with both hands horizontally behind the shoulders and stand behind the hurdle, feet shoulder width apart. Have him take his left foot and slowly lift up and over the hurdle, touching the heel to the ground, and return it back over the hurdle and finish next to the right foot. Repeat with right leg. Look for either side of the hips dropping, or ankle and knee wobbles, signifying instability and core weakness.
Rotational Stability
This test is done on the floor in a quadruped position, meaning the two hands and two knees on the ground and the back horizontal. Have the athlete try to touch her right elbow to her right knee. This test requires balance and asymmetrical trunk stability, utilizing all muscles of the abdominals. Dropping the right hip, or excessive leaning toward the left side to overcompensate for balance, are signs of muscle weakness. These abdominal muscles are very important for sprinting-type sports where energy is transferred from the legs to the abdominals.
References
- Functional Movement Systems: What is FMS?
- National Strength and Conditioning Association: Assessing Athletic Balance with the Star Excursion Balance Test
- Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, National Strength and Conditioning Association. Baechel, Thomas R. and Earle, Roger W. 2008
Member Comments