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The multiple hop test: a discriminative or evaluative instrument for chronic ankle instability?
Christophe Eechaute1, Ivan Bautmans, Willem De Hertogh
1Physical Education and Physical Therapy Department, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium. christophe.eechaute@belgacom.net
Summary
The multiple hop test is better for distinguishing chronic ankle instability (CAI) than measuring changes over time. Its ability to detect real improvements (responsiveness) needs further study.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Rehabilitation Science
- Biomechanics
Background:
- Chronic ankle instability (CAI) affects numerous individuals, impacting their quality of life and athletic participation.
- Accurate assessment tools are crucial for managing CAI and guiding rehabilitation strategies.
- The multiple hop test is a functional performance measure used in CAI assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the multiple hop test's utility as either an evaluative (measuring change over time) or discriminative (distinguishing between groups) instrument for CAI.
- To determine the minimal detectable changes (MDC) for key outcome measures within the test.
- To assess the test's diagnostic accuracy in identifying individuals with CAI.
Main Methods:
- A blinded case-control study was conducted with 29 healthy subjects and 29 CAI patients.
- Participants performed a multiple hop test, avoiding postural corrections.
- Evaluative properties were assessed using MDC for balance errors, time, and VAS score. Discriminative properties were analyzed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.
Main Results:
- Significant changes were required for evaluative measures: >7 errors (41%), >6 seconds (15%), and >27 mm on VAS (55%).
- Area under the ROC curves (AUC) indicated moderate discriminative ability: 79% for errors, 77% for time, and 65% for VAS score.
- With 2 of 3 positive outcomes, the test showed 86% sensitivity, 79% specificity, and 83% diagnostic accuracy for CAI.
Conclusions:
- The multiple hop test demonstrates stronger potential as a discriminative instrument for identifying CAI.
- Further research is needed to establish the test's responsiveness and its ability to detect meaningful changes over time in CAI populations.
Related Concept Videos
01:10Ankle Joint
The ankle is formed by the talocrural joint (crural = leg). It consists of the articulations between the talus bone of the foot and the distal ends of the tibia and fibula of the leg. The superior aspect of the talus bone is square-shaped and has three areas of articulation. The top of the talus articulates with the inferior tibia. This is the portion of the ankle joint that carries the body weight between the leg and foot. The sides of the talus are firmly held in position by the articulations...
01:13Multiple Comparison Tests
Multiple comparison test, abbreviated as MCT, is a post hoc analysis generally performed after comparing multiple samples with one or more tests. An MCT will help identify a significantly different sample among multiple samples or a factor among multiple factors.
It would be easy to compare two samples using a significance alpha level of 0.05. In other words, there is only one sample pair to be compared. However, it would be difficult to identify a significantly different sample if the number...
It would be easy to compare two samples using a significance alpha level of 0.05. In other words, there is only one sample pair to be compared. However, it would be difficult to identify a significantly different sample if the number...