Sex differences in dynamic closed kinetic chain upper quarter function in collegiate swimmers

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Biomechanics
• Kinesiology

Background:

• Upper quarter injuries are common in female swimmers.
• Limited functional assessments exist for the upper quarter region.
• The upper quarter Y balance test (YBT-UQ) assesses dynamic upper extremity function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate sex-based differences in YBT-UQ performance among collegiate swimmers.

Main Methods:

• A cohort study involving 43 male and 54 female NCAA Division I swimmers.
• YBT-UQ performance was measured in medial, inferolateral, and superolateral directions, normalized to upper extremity length.
• Statistical analysis used independent-samples t-tests to compare sex differences.

Main Results:

• Male swimmers demonstrated significantly higher average scores in the medial and inferolateral reach directions and the composite score compared to female swimmers.
• No significant differences in reach symmetry between sexes were found.
• Average medial reach scores were 100.0 ± 8.7%LL for men vs. 92.5 ± 7.4%LL for women (P < .01).

Conclusions:

• Female collegiate swimmers exhibit poorer performance on several YBT-UQ measures compared to their male counterparts.
• Findings suggest potential implications for preseason screening and return-to-sport testing in swimmers.
• The YBT-UQ may serve as a valuable tool for assessing upper quarter function and identifying potential asymmetries.