The Los Angeles Aviators are proud to announce that we have teamed up with a team at the USC Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy to not only provide PT resources for our athletes, but provide test subjects for their research in Ultimate athletes.  The team is headed up by Noriko Yamaguchi, DPT. who is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and Instructor of Clinical Physical Therapy.

The research was divided into 2 parts: In-clinic testing, and On Field testing.  Here are the specifics to those tests.

In clinic testing:

• The athletes are asked about injury history, and standard measurements of their height, weight, and leg length.
• SCAT (Sport Concussion Assessment Tool) to establish a baseline on this test.  This is commonly administered to sports teams pre-season, so baseline tests scores are available in the event you sustain a head injury during the season.
• Dynamometry – this is a way to quantify their muscle strength.  The team will be testing the following muscles: hip extensors, hip abductors, hip adductors, knee extensors, knee flexors, ankle plantar flexors.
• Flexibility – The flexibility of the athlete’s hip flexors, hamstrings, calf, and latissimus.
• Trunk endurance – The athletes will have their forward and side plank timed.

On field testing:

• Single leg balance (eyes open and eyes closed)
• Y-balance and reach (a dynamic balance test) – this one will be video-taped to also assess their movement kinematics.
• Sprint velocity – 20-m and 50-m split times
• Change in Direction and Acceleration Test (CODAT) – this is a short-distance agility test for time, which includes an initial 5-m straight away followed by 3, 3-m cuts (at 45deg angles) and finishing with a 10-m straight-away.
• Triple hop test for distance (with and without a cross-over hop)
• Vertical jump (double leg and single leg)

After the results are complied and analyzed, the PT team will provide each of our athletes with individual training recommendations.  The Aviators are grateful to be providing some new research on a very limited research base on the sport of Ultimate.  As well as the ability to create custom training plans for our athletes.

You can watch a video of the process here: [gdlr_video url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VY0O1lSfyI&feature=youtu.be” ]