Preseason functional testing in young basketball players: asymmetries and intercorrelations.
Akrivi Bakaraki, Eftychia Nastou, Panagiotis Gkrilias and 4 others
PMID 33935363WHAT IT FOUND
Young male basketball players showed mostly symmetrical leg function, except for the medial triple hop test where the non-dominant leg jumped significantly further.
This asymmetry was present in 40.7% to 48.1% of athletes, suggesting this specific test may reveal hidden imbalances.
Key findings
01The non-dominant leg performed significantly better than the dominant leg in the medial triple hop test, while other functional tests showed no significant side-to-side differences.
02Between 40.7% and 48.1% of participants exceeded the 15% asymmetry threshold in triple hop tests, a level previously linked to higher injury risk.
03Vertical jump performance correlated significantly with all three triple hop directions, indicating these tests measure related explosive capabilities.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study included only 27 male participants, limiting the generalisability to female players or other sports. The participants were young (13-19 years), so asymmetries may not have fully developed or manifested as they might in professional adults. The study did not track injuries, so it is unknown whether the observed asymmetries actually predicted future ankle or knee sprains. Functional tests were used instead of direct measures of strength or flexibility, so the underlying physiological cause of the asymmetry is not clear.
Declared interests
None declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that the observed medial hop asymmetry causes injury. The study did not follow up with the players to see if those with asymmetries actually got hurt, so this is a potential risk marker rather than a proven cause.