How does the CKCUEST relate to the Y Balance Test Upper Quarter?

closed kinetic chain y balance test

With upper body return to sport testing, should you do both a Y Balance Test Upper Quarter and Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test (CKCUEST)?

What do they tell us? Is one a replacement for the other?

One of the ways I like to look at the upper extremity closed kinetic chain stability test is that it is an agility for the upper extremity - being able to move in a time period over a fixed distance. So, it's an agility test.

One downside of the CKCUEST is that there's not a large range in the score. So you have a very small window of knowing what's good. Another thing to consider is that the test is performed at a standard width of 36 inches and not everybody fits that width. And so it is a bit different of a test for people with longer wingspans and shorter wingspans (think about how hard that position would be for a 5 foot tall gymnast compared to a 7 foot tall basketball player).

While I think it is a meaningful test, there are a lot of things that I think are essential to be tested before the CKCUEST. First I would like to see how a person performs at the limit of their stability on the Y Balance Test Upper Quarter.

If you are looking for a complete analysis, research, and testing procedure, check out this article on the Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test.

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How does the CKCUEST relate to the Y Balance Test Upper Quarter?

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