The Balance Side Hop is used in the assessment for return to sports (RTS) post-injury, for example after ankle sprains or anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. The main objective is to assess stability after landing and identify asymmetries.
The primary outcome parameter of the Balance Side Hop is Sway Area. It is defined as the area that covers 95% of the center of pressure (COP) data points during the holding phase. The Sway Area is available both as a numerical value (Fig-1, left) and as a figure (Fig-1, middle) for qualitative evaluation. In this example, the sway area of the right foot is significantly larger than the left sway area.
Additionally, the longitudinal and transversal balance point is available (Fig-1, middle & right). It displays the mean COP normalized by sensor insole length in anterior-posterior and medio-lateral direction, respectively. In this case, the Balance Point of the right foot is more medial and posterior than the left.
Sway Area and Balance Point help coaches and therapists to understand a patient’s individual compensation strategies and thereby to make better informed decisions in the RTS process after ACL injuries.Â
Fill out the form on the right to receive a PDF document which contains a complete parameter list and parameter descriptions. The document also contains the test description and additional information as indicated in the ReGo Balance Side Hop article.
