Can movement tests predict injury in elite orienteerers? An 1-year prospective cohort study.

The purpose of this study was to determine the predictive value of the movement test, the nine test screening battery (9TSB) and an orienteering-modified version of the 9TSB (M9TSB), for lower extremity injury in adolescent elite orienteerers. Prospective cohort study. Forty adolescent (15-19 years), male and female orienteerers from two Swedish orienteering high schools performed the 9TSB, M9TSB, and recorded injuries based on a web-based questionnaire for 52 weeks. The results showed no difference in composite scores between injured and non-injured orienteerers for either 9TSB (= 0.75) or M9TSB ( = 0.83). The optimal cut-off score was calculated at 25 for the 9TSB, with sensitivity and specificity of 74% and 41% respectively, and 17 for the M9TSB, with sensitivity and specificity of 47% and 61%, respectively. There was no association between 9TSB or M9TSB and injury (OR1.38, 95% CI: 0.39-4.92). Including athletes with a history of injury did not result in improved prediction of injury for the 9TSB or M9TSB (OR 2.84, 95% CI: 0.50-16.10). Low sensitivity and specificity were obtained for both the M9TSB and the 9TSB. Thus, it is not recommended that physiotherapists use the nine test screening battery to predict lower extremity injury in orienteerers.