LOWER-EXTREMITY INJURIES IN COLLEGE ATHLETES - RELATION BETWEEN LIGAMENTOUS LAXITY AND LOWER-EXTREMITY MUSCLE TIGHTNESS

Objective: Two components of flexibility, muscle tightness, and ligame ntous laxity in college athletes were studied to determine whether the se factors were associated with the incidence of lower extremity injur ies. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: College athletic depar tment. Participants: 201 college athletes. Outcome Measures: College m en and women athletes were tested for ligamentous laxity with the Beig hton scale and for muscle tightness with a new scale based on the tigh tness of the iliopsoas, iliotibial band, hamstring, rectus femoris, an d gastrocsoleus muscles. Lower extremity injuries incurred during prac tice and play were recorded during the following year. Results: Of the 201 athletes tested, 71 sustained 115 injuries. For each additional p oint on the 9-point ligamentous laxity scale (9 = hyperlax), the risk of injury decreased 16%. For each additional point on the 10-point mus cle-tightness scale (10 = all muscles tight), the risk of injury incre ased 23%. The two scores were moderately inversely correlated (Spearma n's rho = -0.3; p < .001). Women had greater mean (+/-SD) laxity score s than men (3.3 +/- 2.2 vs 1.8 +/- 2.0; p < .001) and lower mean overa ll muscle tightness scores (1.5 +/- 1.6 vs. 3.5 +/- 2.1; p < .001). Am ong women athletes, the rate of lower extremity injury was unrelated t o Ligamentous laxity or to flexibility. Among men, lower extremity inj uries were associated with lower ligamentous laxity scores (p = .008) and greater muscle tightness (p = .04). Conclusions: This study introd uces a new scale for lower extremity muscle tightness. Tight ligaments and muscles are related to injury in men, but not women, college athl etes. A preseason flexibility program may decrease injuries in college men athletes. (C) 1996 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Med icine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation