Effects of repeated squat movements on the results of Craig’s test to determine hip anteversion/retroversion

Source: PubMed Central Open Access, NCBI / U.S. National Library of Medicine

[Purpose] Craig’s Test can be used to measure femoral anteversion/retroversion in lieu of expensive and invasive clinical imaging. It is currently unknown if Craig’s Test is reliable before and after exercises that require substantial active hip joint motion. This study sought to evaluate the consistency of Craig’s Test before and after a squatting exercise. [Participants and Methods] Thirty-eight participants (18 females, 20 males) underwent Craig’s Test before and after a squatting protocol. Craig’s Test was repeated 3 times per leg and averaged to achieve a “pre” and “post” score. Scores were compared for the complete sample, females, and males, on both the right and left legs. [Results] All individual comparisons indicated significant differences between pre- and post-squatting Craig’s Test scores for the combined sample, females, and males, on both the right and left legs. [Conclusion] These data suggest Craig’s Test is sensitive to changes in soft tissue extensibility that accompanies exercises that elicit large active range of motion at the hip joint. Thus, an active warm-up involving movements or stretches requiring large ranges of motion at the hip joint are recommended before performing Craig’s Test to determine hip anteversion/retroversion alignment.