Aspects of Validity of the Single Leg Squat Test: A Cohort Study of Female Soccer Players.

Movement screening tests to identify deficits or poor movement quality is commonly used in soccer and other sports to assess injury, to evaluate rehabilitation goals and return to sport after injury. Female soccer players have an increased risk of suffering a knee injury which can be related to a poor knee control. Knee control can be observed and assessed by the Single Leg Squat (SLS) test. The SLS test is reported to be reliable, but there still is an overall lack of clear evidence of the accuracy for tests used for assessing movement quality in sports medicine, and the discriminate and predictive validity of the SLS test in a female soccer cohort needs to be further investigated. It is also not clear what significance other physiological- psychosocial- and hormonal factors have for the outcome of the SLS and for injury. The overall aim of this project is to investigate if the outcome of a visually assessed SLS test can discriminate between individuals with a previous injury in the lower extremity, and if the outcome, separate or together with physiological-, psychosocial- and hormonal factors can predict future injury in a cohort of female soccer players. The authors hypothesises that the outcome of the SLS cannot discriminate between individuals with a previous injury in the lower extremity but that the outcome of the SLS, separate or together with physiological-, psychosocial- and hormonal factors can predict future injury in a cohort of female soccer players. 269 female soccer players (≥16 Yr.) from Damallsvenskan, Elitettan and division 1 in the area of Stockholm was enrolled in the study and baseline measurements were done during 2022-01-08 to 2022-02-21. The female soccer cohort will be followed during the season 2022 regarding injuries upcoming injuries.