The Running Readiness Scale as an Assessment of Kinematics Related to Knee Injury in Novice Female Runners.

CONTEXT: Frontal- and transverse-plane kinematics have been prospectively identified as risk factors for running-related injuries in females. The Running Readiness Scale (RRS) may allow for clinical evaluation of these kinematics. OBJECTIVES: To determine the reliability and validity of the RRS as an assessment of frontal- and transverse-plane running kinematics. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: University research laboratory. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: A total of 56 novice female runners (median [interquartile range] age = 34 years [26-47 years]). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): We collected 3-dimensional kinematics during running and RRS tasks: hopping, plank, step-ups, single-legged squats, and wall sit. Five clinicians assessed RRS performances 3 times each. Interrater and intrarater reliabilities of the total RRS score and individual tasks were calculated using the intraclass correlation coefficient and Fleiss κ, respectively. Pearson product moment correlation coefficients between peak joint angles measured during running and the same angles measured during RRS tasks were computed. Peak joint angles of high- and low-scoring participants were compared. RESULTS: Interrater and intrarater reliabilities of assessment of the total RRS scores were good (intraclass correlation coefficients = 0.75 and 0.80, respectively). Reliability of assessing individual tasks was moderate to almost perfect (κ = 0.58-1.00). Peak hip adduction, contralateral pelvic drop, and knee abduction during running were correlated with the same angles measured during hopping, step-ups, and single-legged squats (r = 0.537-0.939). Peak knee internal rotation during running was correlated with peak knee internal rotation during step-ups (r = 0.831). Runners who scored high on the RRS demonstrated less knee abduction during running (P ≤ .01). CONCLUSIONS: The RRS may effectively assess knee abduction in novice runners, but evaluation criteria or tasks may need to be modified to effectively characterize pelvic and transverse-plane knee kinematics.