ABSTRACT
The thigh is subjected to tremendous stress as part of athletic activity. As one of the proximal components of the kinetic chain, these structures are intimately related to athletes’ power, endurance, and resistance to injury. Loads of up to eight times the athletes’ body weight have been demonstrated across the hip joint during jogging with even greater loads observed during athletic competition.4,14 The importance of thigh strength is stressed at all levels of competition, especially during preseason conditioning. Functional assessments of hip/core strength, agility, and proprioception have been studied as part of treatment after injury, return to sport clearance after ACL surgery, and injury prevention programs (Table 49.1).
