Reactive Neurocognitive Testing of the Upper Extremity in Collegiate Athletes

Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants who work with overhead and collision-sport athletes, in collegiate, high school, outpatient sports, or performance settings, and who follow the evidence behind upper extremity return-to-sport testing.

Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants. Athletic trainers, strength and conditioning professionals, and students in these fields may also find the material useful. Physical therapist assistants contribute to data collection and progression within a plan of care established and directed by the supervising physical therapist.

Intended audience

Physical Therapy

Level

Intermediate

Delivery format

Online, asynchronous, self-paced course: interactive reading with audio or video, and a scored post-test.

Based on

This course reports the findings of a single open-access cross-sectional measurement study of two light-based reactive upper extremity tests performed by healthy Division I collegiate athletes. The study examined how consistently the tests scored athletes from trial to trial, how closely the scores tracked with an established proactive test, and whether the single-arm open chain version produced similar results on the dominant and nondominant sides.

Scope of the evidence

This is one study of healthy athletes at one university. It is a measurement-properties study, not a treatment trial and not an injury-prediction study. No claim is made here about how these tests perform in injured athletes or about whether their use changes return-to-sport or reinjury rates.

Gauthier ML, Pontillo M, Davies GJ. Reliability and validity of upper extremity neurocognitive reactive tests in collegiate athletes. Phys Ther Sport. 2026;82:101992. doi:10.1016/j.ptsp.2026.101992

After completing this course, you will be able to:

1. Describe how consistently the Upper Extremity Reactive Closed Kinetic Chain Test and the Upper Extremity Reactive Open Kinetic Chain Test scored healthy Division I collegiate athletes from trial to trial, and name the one condition that fell short of the rest.
2. State how performance on the two reactive tests compared with performance on the closed kinetic chain upper extremity stability test, and explain what the authors concluded about the domains each test captures.
3. Explain what the study found about dominant and nondominant limb performance on the single-arm open chain reactive test, and distinguish that pattern from what the authors reported for established proactive unilateral tests.

1. Start Here: About This Course
2. Podcast: Reactive Upper Extremity Testing in Collegiate Athletes (about nine minutes)
3. The Gap in Upper Extremity Return-to-Sport Testing and Who Was Studied
4. Inside the Testing Session: Plank Positions, Wall Targets, and Light Pods
5. What the Tests Showed: Consistency, Overlap With the CKCUEST, and Limb Symmetry
6. Where the Evidence Stops: One University, One Sport Mix, One Comparator
7. What This Could Mean for Return-to-Sport Test Selection
8. Key Takeaways
9. Post-Test and Course Evaluation

Quinn Millington, PT, DPT, ECS is the instructor of record: the licensed clinician who reviewed this course and signed off on it. The name and credentials print on the certificate.

Disclosures. This course was developed by The ConEd Solution, which has a financial interest in its sale. No outside funding or sponsorship was received. The instructor of record has no affiliation with the authors of the source publication or their institutions.

This course awards 0.5 contact hours (30 min). How you earn them:

1. Complete the course. Every lesson, in order.
2. Pass the post-test. Score 80% or higher. Retakes are allowed.
3. Complete the evaluation. A short form rating each learning objective and the course.
4. Download your certificate. It is issued on completion and stays available in My Account.

The episode time is its measured length. Reading, post-test and evaluation times are estimates.

This course is designed to satisfy the quality requirements state boards set for continuing education. Requirements vary by state, and confirming that a course fits your renewal is up to you. Each state’s own acceptance statement is in the credit panel on this page.

1. This course reports the findings of a single open-access cross-sectional measurement study of two light-based reactive upper extremity tests performed by healthy Division I collegiate athletes. The study examined how consistently the tests scored athletes from trial to trial, how closely the scores tracked with an established proactive test, and whether the single-arm open chain version produced similar results on the dominant and nondominant sides.
2. Scope of the evidence
3. This is one study of healthy athletes at one university. It is a measurement-properties study, not a treatment trial and not an injury-prediction study. No claim is made here about how these tests perform in injured athletes or about whether their use changes return-to-sport or reinjury rates.
4. Gauthier ML, Pontillo M, Davies GJ. Reliability and validity of upper extremity neurocognitive reactive tests in collegiate athletes. Phys Ther Sport. 2026;82:101992. doi:10.1016/j.ptsp.2026.101992