Reliability of the Cutting Alignment Scoring Tool (CAST) to Assess Trunk and Limb Alignment During a 45-Degree Side-Step Cut

BACKGROUND

Three-dimensional (3D) motion analysis is considered the gold standard for evaluating human movement. However, its clinical utility is limited due to cost, operating expertise, and lengthy data processing time. Numerous qualitative scoring systems have been introduced to assess trunk and lower extremity biomechanics during functional tasks. However, the reliability of qualitative scoring systems to evaluate cutting movements is understudied. Purpose/Hypotheses: To assess the inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of the Cutting Alignment Scoring Tool (CAST) among sports medicine providers and to evaluate rater agreement of each component of the CAST. The hypotheses were: 1) there would be good-to-excellent inter-rater and intra-rater reliability among sports medicine providers, 2) there would be good to almost perfect agreement for cut width and trunk lean variables and moderate to good agreement for valgus variables of the CAST.

STUDY DESIGN

Repeated Measures.

METHODS

Ten videos of a 45-degree side-step cut performed by adolescent athletes were independently rated on two occasions by six raters (2 medical doctors, 2 physical therapists, and 2 athletic trainers). The variables assessed include trunk lean to the opposite direction of the cut, increased cut width, knee valgus at initial load acceptance (static), and knee valgus throughout the task (dynamic). Variables were scored as either present, which were given a score of "1", or not present, which were given a score of "0". Video sequence was randomized in each rating session, and a two-week wash out period was given.

RESULTS

The cumulative inter-rater and intra-rater reliabilities were good (ICC: 0.808 and ICC: 0.753). Almost perfect kappa coefficients were recorded for cut width (k=0.949). Moderate kappa coefficients were found for trunk lean (k= 0.632) and fair kappa coefficients were noted for dynamic and static valgus (k=0.462 and k= 0.533 respectively).

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that the CAST is a reliable tool to evaluate trunk and LE alignment during a cutting task by sports medicine providers.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level 2 Diagnosis.

Running Propensities of Athletes with Hamstring Injuries

The current study aims to compare the mechanical propensities between healthy runners and runners with hamstring injuries. Retrospective case-control video analysis was used. A total of 35 (12 male and 23 female) videos of runners with hamstring injuries were compared with videos of sex-, age-, mass-, and height-matched healthy control runners. The main outcome variables were trunk posture angles, overstride angles, and foot strike patterns. An independent t-test and chi-squared tests were employed to analyze the main outcome variables between the runners with hamstring injuries and the healthy control runners. The statistical significance of less than 0.05 (p < 0.05) was used. The runners with hamstring injuries had a 1.6° less forward-trunk posture angles compared with the healthy control runners (p = 0.043). Also, the runners with hamstring injuries demonstrated a 4.9° greater overstride angles compared with the healthy control runners (p = 0.001). Finally, the runners with hamstring injuries had a tendency of rearfoot strike, while the healthy control runners showed a forefoot strike pattern (p = 0.004). In conclusion, the runners with hamstring injuries demonstrated different running mechanical propensities compared with the healthy runners.