AMS – Rowing MSK Screen

Long Sit Rockover

This test is used to assess the ability to anteriorly tilt the pelvis

The athlete is sitting on the floor, feet flat against a 40cm box, hands on top.  Place a smartphone with inclinometer app (Angle Meter) on flattest part of pelvis (between bottom of Lumbar spine and the top of the tail bone).  Instruct athletes to reach forwards as far as possible, then hold that position.  Measure and record angle using the phone/app.  The value is recorded as a positive if the athlete is able to tilt pelvis forwards (anteriorly) or negative if unable to and their pelvis remains backwards in posterior tilt.

Hip Flexion

 This test is designed to assess the available range of hip flexion.

The athlete is lying supine on the floor. The athlete is instructed to keep their opposite thigh and knee flat on the floor throughout the test (This is to stop the athlete rotating their pelvis). They are then instructed to bring their knee to their chest as far as possible, not using their hands to help.  The therapist records the degree of hip flexion relative to the horizontal using a spirit level goniometer centred over the greater trochanter and through the middle of the femur.

Thoracic Rotation

The athlete is sitting on a 50cm box with a neutral spine. A bench or another box is positioned in front of the athletes knees to ensure parallel femurs and no twisting of the pelvis when undertaking the tests.  The athlete places both hands together with arms straight directly in front of their chest, hands and arms at shoulder height. The athlete is then asked to rotate the arms as far as possible, so that the thoracic spine rotates. The athlete is asked to keep their nose, head and hands in line. The therapist measures from above the angle of a line from nose to hands compared to the start position.

Additional Musculoskeletal Screening Tests for Rowers

These tests are for administration by physiotherapists using the AMS Rowing- MSK Screening protocol

Active knee extension

This test is used to assess the length of the hamstring muscle group and its associated tissues. This test is thought to be a more reliable and valid measure of hamstring length than SLR.

The subject lies supine on the plinth without a pillow. The tester passively flexes the hip until the thigh is vertical. This is determined using a spirit level goniometer or inclinometer with reference to a line from the greater trochanter to the lateral epicondyle. The subject is then asked to hold the posterior thigh in order to maintain the thigh in the vertical position. The opposite leg is maintained in full extension during the test. The subject is then asked to extend the knee of the test leg until the thigh begins to move from the horizontal, whilst maintaining foot and ankle relaxation. In cases where full knee extension is achieved without thigh movement, the knee is flexed and the thigh moved to 30o past the vertical position, using the same determination method as mentioned earlier. The process of knee extension is then repeated until thigh movement occurs. The tester records the angle from complete knee extension, by comparing a line along the tibia, running from the inferior border of the lateral malleolus to the head of the fibula, with respect to the vertical. Flexion values are recorded as negative. In cases where the hip is further flexed to 120o, the measurement is recorded as 120 –x.

Sit and Reach Test

This test is commonly used to measure combined spinal and hamstring muscle extensibility.

The subject is required to sit on the ground with their knees fully extended and the soles of their feet contacting a rigid 40cm box, which has a ruler attached to the superior surface. The subject is asked to stretch forward as far as possible and to hold that position for one second, whilst maintaining one hand directly on top of the other. Each subject is allowed two attempts, with the best score being recorded. A positive score for the sit and reach test indicated that the tips of the subjects fingers reached past the subject’s toes, while a negative score indicated that the player could not reach their toes.

 Ankle dorsiflexion (weight bearing)

This test is used to assess the range of ankle dorsiflexion in a functional position.

The athlete is asked to stand in stride stand (test leg forward and non test leg back) with bare feet. The athlete is asked to bend their knee forward in line with the second toe until heel contact decreases or pain is experienced in or around the ankle joint. The aim is for the athlete’s knee to contact the wall without heel contact decreasing. The tester records the distance from the big toe to the wall. Allow the athlete to adopt their normal sub talar position.

Active Slump Test

This test is used to assess the mobility of pain sensitive neuromeningeal structures.

In the sitting position, the participant is asked to fully flex the cervical spine, followed by the thoracic and lumbar spines. Next, full dorsiflexion of the ankle is requested and the participant is asked to extend their knee until they feel a stretch or some discomfort. In this position, the angle between the horizontal and the tibia (knee flexion) is measured using an inclinometer. The inclinometer was placed on the anterior tibial border at a distance 15cm below the mid-point of the tibial tuberosity.

Modified Thomas Test

This test is used to assess the flexibility of the hip flexors (iliopsoas predominantly), quadriceps and TFL/ITB.

The participant sat on the end of the plinth, rolled back on to the plinth, and held both knees to the chest. This ensured that the lumbar spine was flat on the plinth and the pelvis was in posterior rotation. The therapist then uses external rotation of the non test leg to align the pelvis square to the leg to be tested. The subject holds the contralateral hip in this position with the arms, while the tested limb was lowered towards the floor.

Three angles were measured for each limb and were repeated on each limb. Length of iliopsoas (test 1) was determined by measuring the angle of hip flexion. Test 2 measured the passive length of the quadriceps by determining the knee flexion angle. The hip abduction angle relative to the femur and angle of the pelvis represents the effect of TFL / ITB flexibility.

Hip Internal Rotation

The athlete is sitting on the plinth with a neutral spine. Both thighs are positioned on towels if needed to ensure a horizontal femur. The therapist internally rotates the shin of the test leg until the end of range is felt, or the pelvis begins to lift. The therapist records the angle of the tibia using an inclinometer placed along the medial tibia.

Trunk Endurance Testing

Back Extension Hold (Biering Sorenson)

This test is used to assess the endurance of the back extensor muscles.

The athlete lies prone on a bench. The athlete’s pelvis must be on the end of bench. Ensure the athletes Anterior Superior Iliac Spines (ASIS) are still in contact with the bench.  The athlete is then fixed to the bench with straps/boat ties at the pelvis and calf or ankle. The athletes is instructed to maintain a horizontal position parallel to the ground with arms across their chest.  The athlete is then asked to maintain this position up to 150seconds.  If the athlete starts to fall below horizontal, they can be corrected verbally by the therapist once.  If they cannot maintain this position the test is stopped and the time recorded.  If the athlete has achieved the 150s benchmark in the most recent previous testing and is injury free, the next test should include a 7.5kg plate or dumb bell. This weight should be held across their chest too.

Supine Hold

The athlete lies supine on a bench. The athlete’s pelvis must be on the end of bench. Ensure the athletes Posterior Superior Iliac Spines (PSIS) are still in contact with the bench.  The athlete is then fixed to the bench with straps/boat ties at the pelvis and calf or ankle. The athletes is instructed to maintain a horizontal position parallel to the ground with arms across their chest.  The athlete is then asked to maintain this position up to 150seconds.  If the athlete starts to fall below or lift above horizontal, they can be corrected verbally by the therapist once.  If they cannot maintain this position the test is stopped and the time recorded.  If the athlete has achieved the 150s benchmark in the most recent previous testing and is injury free, the next test should include a 7.5kg plate or dumb bell. This weight should be held across their chest too.

Side Holds

The athlete positions themselves in side-lying on a bench. The athlete’s pelvis must be on the end of bench. Ensure the athletes iliac crest is still in contact with the bench.  The athlete is then fixed to the bench with straps/boat ties at the pelvis and calf or ankle. The athletes is instructed to maintain a horizontal position parallel to the ground with arms across their chest. Their head shoulders and trunk should be in a straight line with their hips and pelvis.  The athlete is then asked to maintain this position up to 150seconds.  If the athlete starts to fall below horizontal, they can be corrected verbally by the therapist once.  If they cannot maintain this position the test is stopped and the time recorded.  If the athlete has achieved the 150s benchmark in the most recent previous testing and is injury free, the next test should include a 7.5kg plate or dumb bell. This weight should be held across their chest too.