The traditional Upper Quarter Y-Balance Test (TUQYBT) tests mobility and stability of the shoulder. The TUQYBT is performed in a push-up position, while the contralateral arm is pushing a reach indicator maximally in the medial, superolateral, and inferolateral directions. The TUQYBT has proven to be beneficial in analyzing shoulder function, specifically for athletic and active populations. It has not been proven to be suitable for the older adults and obese populations. Research shows that 67% of bodyweight is carried during the up position of push-up. During the TUQYBT this weight is shifted to one shoulder, which place a lot of stress on it. A decrease of 15% of the body load was found during a modified push-up (knees down) position. Moreover, load will further be reduced when performing a push-up in standing position on the wall.
PURPOSE: To determine test-retest reliability of two modified UQYBTs (modified push-up and standing positions) and to identify performance differences with respect to TUQYBT. METHODS: Twenty-five students (nine men, 16 women; mean age 24.4±3.3 and 23.6±3.3 years), performed three variations of the UQYBT. Cronbach’s Alpha test-retest reliabilities were performed to analyze data consistency. Two separate one-way repeated measures ANOVAs were performed to determine the effect of the three starting UQYBT positions on the composite reach scores for each side, followed by post-hoc analyses. RESULTS: Findings revealed consistency for the two UQYBT modifications in all three reach directions, Cronbach’s Alpha values 0.87–0.99. Significant main effects were found on the right (F(2,72) =6.19, p=0.003) and left (F(2,72) = 4.12, p=0.004) sides. Post-hoc analyses revealed that the standing UQYBT composite scores were significantly higher for both sides (right 73.1±7.5 cm, left 73.1±7.2 cm) than the modified push-up (right 68.5±7.5 cm, left 69.5±7.9 cm) and TUQYBT (right 65.2±9.0 cm, left 66.5±9.0 cm) scores (p<0.05). The modified UQYBT composite scores, for both sides, were significantly higher than TUQYBT scores (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: It appears that the modified UQYBTs may be suitable for populations such as older adults and obese, who may have difficulty holding themselves up during the TUQYBT. Future research is needed to determine applicability in these populations.