The Use of Dynamometry for Lower Limb Strength Assessment in Female Team Sport Athletes: A Scoping Review

Lower limb injury rates have increased dramatically in line with the rise in female athletes participating in team sports where larger training demands are required for higher performing athletes, increasing exposure to injury. One modifiable and intrinsic risk factor associated with lower limb injuries is muscle strength, measured through single joint machine isokinetic dynamometry (MID) and handheld dynamometry (HHD).

The purpose of this review was to explore which protocols have been used for MID and HHD lower limb muscular strength assessments, highlighting the test–retest reliability, for the female team sport athlete population.

A review of the literature was conducted using Medline, PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus and Web of Science databases. Of the 26,032 articles identified, 107 were included for analysis.

Seated knee flexion/extension was the most common test performed with a similar protocol while hip and ankle joint muscle group tests were performed across two to four positions. Test–retest reliability was poor to excellent for hip and knee tests and only reported in four studies (intraclass correlation coefficients = 0.25–0.98).

The same protocol was followed primarily for MID knee flexion/extension (73 studies). However, differences were observed for MID and HHD hip and ankle joint protocols resulting in variable data that could not support dynamometry protocol recommendations for this population. Research exploring the reliability and validity of protocols including measurement equipment may improve the worth of existing data and assessment protocols to support injury and performance strategies in the future.