Relationship Between Gastrocnemius Flexibility and Lower Extremity Injuries in Division I Cross Country Athletes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between gastrocnemius flexibility and lower extremity injury in Division I collegiate men and women long distance runners. Participants in the study were 19 men and women Division I collegiate long distance runners. All participants passed a pre-participation physical and intended to compete in distances longer than 800 meters. Each participant had his or her gastrocnemius flexibility measured twice during the course of the study and injury rates were tracked. A t-test was used to test the null hypothesis. The average measurement of dorsiflexion at the beginning of the study was 17.081 degrees [SD = 4.193]. The average at the second measure was 15.738 degrees [SD = 4.242]. Seventy-nine percent of the athletes had decreased dorsiflexion from the first measurement to the second measurement. Fifty-eight percent of the athletes had sustained an injury as defined in this study. Of the injured athletes, the average dorsiflexion at the beginning of the study was 18.85 degrees [SD = 3.113]. At the second measurement the dorsiflexion was 16.72 degrees [SD = 4.25]. Using a t-test (t=0.123), no difference was found between the flexibility of injured athletes and the flexibility of un-injured athletes. The null hypothesis was not rejected.