Normative Lower-Body Y-Balance Test Scores in Active-Duty Law Enforcement Officers

The lower-body Y-Balance Test (YBT-LQ) is a closed-chain, functional assessment used to measure balance, mobility, and lower-extremity (LE) stability. Performance on this test can reflect asymmetries in mobility, stability, and proprioceptive control. These attributes may be influenced by occupational demands and physical training habits in tactical populations such as law enforcement officers. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify normative scores for the YBT-LQ in active-duty law enforcement personnel. Establishing reference values for this tactical population may provide a foundation for injury risk awareness and prevention strategies. METHODS: Twenty-three active-duty male law enforcement officers (40.4 ± 9.2 y; height: 178.7 ± 6.8 cm; weight: 93.0 ± 11.7 kg) volunteered to complete the YBT-LQ as part of a voluntary fitness screening. All participants were cleared for active duty, completed a health history questionnaire, and reported no current injuries. However, they were also instructed to stop if pain presented. The YBT-LQ was administered with participants standing on the right leg with hands on hips, and the left leg reach distance being measured in three directions (anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral). Measures were repeated while balancing on the left leg and reaching with the right limb. Limb length was measured bilaterally to determine a composite score for each leg to quantify relative performance. A paired samples t-test was used to compare composite scores for the right and left limb (YBT-LQ-R and YBT-LQ-L, respectively), using SPSS version 30 (IBM Corp) with an alpha significance of p < 0.05. RESULTS: No significant difference was present between the YBT-LQ-R and YBT-LQ-L [t(22) = -1.190, p = 0.25]. The average YBT-LQ-R and YBT-LQ-L scores (86.0 ± 10.5% and 87.4 ± 8.6%, respectively) were below published recommendations in athletes for risk of non-contact LE injury. CONCLUSION: These results provide baseline normative values for YBT-LQ performance in active-duty male law enforcement officers and suggest they may have a slightly elevated risk for non-contact LE injury. These findings may aid tactical strength and conditioning professionals in exercise programming to address deficits in dynamic balance and mobility that could influence injury risk.