Fiche pratique du H-test

Hamstring muscle injuries remain a major concern in sports involving sprinting such as soccer, rugby or athletics. To address this, Askling et al. developed the H-test, an active mobility test designed to guide the return to sport. The H-test initially assesses the athlete's perceived safety during explosive stretch of the posterior chain muscles and the symmetry of maximal active range of motion speed between both legs. Several authors have since established normative values for the H-test, facilitating its practical use by clinicians. Conducted without prior warm-up, the test involves the athlete performing three maximal hip flexion repetitions per leg, each movement recorded and analyzed using 2D video analysis software for precise measurement of angles and speeds. The athlete is positioned on a massage table with the knee braced in a rigid splint. The test measures the maximal angle formed between the table's horizontal plane and the leg's zenith, evaluating total amplitude and maximum and average speeds. Additionally, the athlete assesses their perceived risk of injury on a visual analog scale from 0 to 100, providing an insight into the athlete's confidence. Normative values with high reliability for the H-test (ICC for amplitude at 0.91, maximum speed at 0.95, and average speed at 0.99) have been established, although based on small cohorts. The H-test contributes to the multifactorial evaluation for safe return to play post-injury.