The hip control test is a valid and reliable measure of hip neuromuscular control

Abstract

Insufficient hip neuromuscular control may contribute to non-contact sport injuries. However, the current evaluative test of hip neuromuscular control, the single-leg squat, requires hip abductor muscle strength to complete. The purpose of this study was to develop the hip control test (HCT) and determine the test’s reliability and construct validity. Nineteen healthy adults visited the laboratory twice. The HCT is a 10-s test of reciprocal toe-tapping accuracy. Both automated and manual HCT ratings were recorded simultaneously during each visit. Additionally, eccentric hip abductor torque was measured. HCT reliability was assessed with intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC). Agreement between automated and manual ratings was determined with Bland–Altman plots. Construct validity was established if HCT performance significantly decreased with a secondary cognitive task (p < 0.05). Bivariate regression determined the relationship between HCT performance and eccentric hip abductor torque. Automated and manual HCT ratings both had moderate reliability (ICC = 0.72) and yielded similar results (limits of agreement = ?1 to 2 taps). The HCT had construct validity (p = 0.001), and no correlation with hip abductor muscle strength (r = 0.213). Thus, the HCT is a reliable and valid test. The HCT is simple to administer and measures hip neuromuscular control separately from strength.