A qualitative screening tool to identify athletes with ‘high-risk’ movement mechanics during cutting: The cutting movement assessment score (CMAS)

OBJECTIVE: To assess the validity of the cutting movement assessment score (CMAS) to estimate the magnitude of peak knee abduction moments (KAM) against three-dimensional (3D) motion analysis, while comparing whole-body kinetics and kinematics between subjects of low (bottom 33%) and high CMASs (top 33%). DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-one participants (soccer, rugby, netball, and cricket). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Association between peak KAM and CMAS during a 90° cut. Comparison of 3D whole-body kinetics and kinematics between subjects with low (bottom 33%) and high CMASs (top 33%). RESULTS: A very large significant relationship (ρ = 0.796, p < 0.001) between CMAS and peak KAM was observed. Subjects with higher CMASs displayed higher-risk cutting postures, including greater peak knee abduction angles, internal foot progression angles, and lateral foot plant distances (p ≤ 0.032, effect size = 0.83-1.64). Additionally, greater cutting multiplanar knee joint loads (knee flexion, internal rotation, and abduction moments) were demonstrated by subjects with higher CMASs compared to lower (p ≤ 0.047, effect size = 0.77-2.24). CONCLUSION: The CMAS is a valid qualitative screening tool for evaluating cutting movement quality and is therefore a potential method to identify athletes who generate high KAMs and "high-risk" side-step cutting mechanics.