The Sitting Apprehension Throw Test (SATT): Reliability Study of a New Upper Limb Open Kinetic Chain Physical Performance Test

The shoulder is vulnerable to injury and dislocation in a variety of sports. A new physical performance test (PPT) is presented: The Sitting Apprehension Throw Test (SATT), which assesses power of the shoulder in the 90/90 position and readiness to return to sport. This pilot study determines the intra and inter-rater reliability of the SATT in a healthy adult population.18 male military volunteers were assessed by experienced physiotherapists. A test-retest design was used with 14-day intervals between sessions. The participant was seated with their arm resting on a plinth in the 90/90 position. A 2kg weighted ball was coated in chalk and thrown. Distance thrown was measured and repeated three times for each arm. Mean distance was calculated. 18 males, mean age 22 (± 4) had mean SATT score 206cm (SD 35), SEM 17cms and MDC90 40cms. There was high interobserver and intraobserver reliability with strong correlation between right and left arms (r=0.7)The SATT is reliable and can be used to evaluate shoulder power and inform assessment of readiness to return to sport after injury. It is simple, quick and easy to perform.