Lower-limb asymmetry in healthy male athletes.
Hiromu Kiba, Hiroichi Miaki, Masami Yokogawa and 1 others
PMID 40034553WHAT IT FOUND
Healthy male athletes showed significant lower-limb asymmetry in hip flexor, hip abductor, and knee extensor strength, and in cross-over hop and 90° change-of-direction performance.
The dominant leg was stronger and jumped farther, but the non-dominant leg turned faster.
Key findings
01Significant differences were observed between the dominant and non-dominant legs in the hip flexor, hip abductor, and knee extensor muscles, all of which were significantly higher in the dominant leg.
02Significant differences were observed in cross over hop test and 90° change of direction test when comparing the dominant and non-dominant legs.
03The lower-limb symmetry index was as low as 88% for the hip flexors, whereas the strengths of the other muscles ranged from 91% to 98%.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Small sample size of 16 participants may affect reliability. Participants played different sports, which may have different movement demands. No analysis by playing position within sports. Movement during change of direction was not analyzed, so it is unclear which leg is predominantly used during the turn. Study included only healthy males, so results may not apply to females or those with injuries.
Declared interests
No funding or conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that any asymmetry between legs indicates pathology or impaired function. This study shows that healthy athletes have measurable, significant asymmetries in strength and performance between their dominant and non-dominant legs, which are normal variations rather than deficits.