Craig Triplett, Black Hills State University – Past Athletic Experience and Health

Competing in sports during high school could positively affect your long-term health.

Craig Triplett, assistant professor of exercise science at Black Hills State University, examines how being active could lead to future wellness.

Craig Triplett, DPT, Assistant Professor of Exercise Science, School of Behavioral Sciences, Black Hills State University, Spearfish, SD. Triplett obtained his B.S. in Wellness Management from Black Hills State University. He earned his Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) from the University of South Dakota. Triplett’s current research interests are focused on the assessment of mobility and stability of undergraduate students though the Functional Movement Screen. He teaches Exercise Science programming for Special Populations, Fitness Assessment, and Exercise Leadership. Craig is also the Exercise Science internship coordinator. In addition to teaching, Craig is a practicing physical therapist and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS).

Past Athletic Experience and Health

The American Academy of Pediatrics says more children are competing in sports than ever before. In addition to the physical and social benefits of sports, the potential also exists for injuries. Frequent sports injuries include knee and shoulder injuries, sprains, and lower back issues.

The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is a screening tool used by athletic trainers and physical therapists to evaluate a person’s mobility and stability to determine potential risk for injury.

We recruited one hundred university students from introductory wellness classes to determine if past high school athletic experience had an impact on FMS scores. Via questionnaire, participants indicated what sports, and for how many seasons, they played in high school. Each participant performed the FMS, which consists of seven tests (deep squat, hurdle step, in-line lunge, shoulder mobility, active straight leg raise, trunk stability push-up, and rotary stability). Each test was scored on a scale of 0 to 3, and the combination of the seven tests provides an overall maximum score of 21.

We found a statistically significant impact on university students’ FMS scores related to the number of seasons they played sports in high school. Research has shown that FMS scores of 14 or less have a greater chance of injury than those that score greater than 15. We compared FMS scores above and below 14 to identify which sports played in high school have the greatest impact on FMS scores. The results showed that playing basketball, football, or track increased the likelihood of university wellness students scoring more than 15 on the FMS test.

Playing basketball, football, or track in high school increases FMS scores in university wellness students, which may lessen the potential injury while in college. 

Future research should conduct FMS testing on high school athletes then follow them into college athletics to track injury rates.

Read More:
Black Hills State University Website
BHSU Exercise Science Program Website
BHSU Exercise Science Program Video
BHSU Exercise Science Program Facebook Page