Effects of Asymmetric and Symmetric Sport Load on Upper and Lower Extremity Strength and Balance: A Comparison Between the Dominant and Non-Dominant Side in Adolescent Female Athletes

The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of primarily asymmetrical (soccer and volleyball) and symmetrical sport load (sprint and swimming) in the upper and lower limbs on dynamic balance and muscle strength and to compare these values in the dominant and non-dominant limbs. This stud...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Safoura Heshmati, Kourosh Ghahraman Tabrizi, Abdolhamid Daneshjoo, Elham Hosseini, Saeid Bahiraei, Mansour Sahebozamani, Andreas Konrad, David George Behm
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Sports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/13/3/89
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849339780971626496
author Safoura Heshmati
Kourosh Ghahraman Tabrizi
Abdolhamid Daneshjoo
Elham Hosseini
Saeid Bahiraei
Mansour Sahebozamani
Andreas Konrad
David George Behm
author_facet Safoura Heshmati
Kourosh Ghahraman Tabrizi
Abdolhamid Daneshjoo
Elham Hosseini
Saeid Bahiraei
Mansour Sahebozamani
Andreas Konrad
David George Behm
author_sort Safoura Heshmati
collection DOAJ
description The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of primarily asymmetrical (soccer and volleyball) and symmetrical sport load (sprint and swimming) in the upper and lower limbs on dynamic balance and muscle strength and to compare these values in the dominant and non-dominant limbs. This study employed a cross-sectional design, included 45 adolescent female athletes from four sports, divided into asymmetric (ASYM, <i>n</i> = 25) and symmetric (SYM, <i>n</i> = 20) groups. They were assessed for maximal voluntary isometric muscle contraction (MVIC) relative muscular strength using a handheld dynamometer (HHD) for shoulder external rotation (ER) and internal rotation (IR), as well as hamstring and quadricep strength. Upper and lower limb balance were also assessed using the Upper (YBT-UQ) and Lower Quarter Y Balance Test (YBT-LQ) tests. The results showed significantly greater balance in the upper extremities of swimmers and in the lower extremities of the sprinters in both the dominant (DS) and non-dominant (NDS) sides than in other groups (<i>p</i> < 0.0001). However, no significant difference in internal and external shoulder rotator muscles strength between the groups (<i>p</i> > 0.05). Although significant differences were found in hamstring strength on the dominant side and quadricep strength on both sides (<i>p</i> < 0.05), a notable finding was that sprint athletes consistently demonstrated stronger quadriceps muscles as compared to other groups in both the dominant and non-dominant sides. According to the current findings, there are significant differences in upper and lower body balance, hamstring, and quadricep muscle strength among sports. This suggests that athletes of asymmetrical sports may need to improve non-dominant side knee strength and balance symmetry to prevent the risk of injury.
format Article
id doaj-art-6d3a2be535d0421dacc20941e75eb455
institution Kabale University
issn 2075-4663
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Sports
spelling doaj-art-6d3a2be535d0421dacc20941e75eb4552025-08-20T03:44:03ZengMDPI AGSports2075-46632025-03-011338910.3390/sports13030089Effects of Asymmetric and Symmetric Sport Load on Upper and Lower Extremity Strength and Balance: A Comparison Between the Dominant and Non-Dominant Side in Adolescent Female AthletesSafoura Heshmati0Kourosh Ghahraman Tabrizi1Abdolhamid Daneshjoo2Elham Hosseini3Saeid Bahiraei4Mansour Sahebozamani5Andreas Konrad6David George Behm7Department of Sports Injuries and Corrective Exercises, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman 76169-14111, IranDepartment of Sports Management, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman 76169-14111, IranDepartment of Sports Injuries and Corrective Exercises, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman 76169-14111, IranDepartment of Sports Injuries and Corrective Exercises, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman 76169-14111, IranDepartment of Sports Injuries and Corrective Exercises, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman 76169-14111, IranDepartment of Sports Injuries and Corrective Exercises, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman 76169-14111, IranInstitute of Human Movement Science, Sport and Health, Graz University, Mozartgasse 14, 8010 Graz, AustriaSchool of Human Kinetics and Recreation, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL A1C 5S7, CanadaThe aim of this research was to investigate the effects of primarily asymmetrical (soccer and volleyball) and symmetrical sport load (sprint and swimming) in the upper and lower limbs on dynamic balance and muscle strength and to compare these values in the dominant and non-dominant limbs. This study employed a cross-sectional design, included 45 adolescent female athletes from four sports, divided into asymmetric (ASYM, <i>n</i> = 25) and symmetric (SYM, <i>n</i> = 20) groups. They were assessed for maximal voluntary isometric muscle contraction (MVIC) relative muscular strength using a handheld dynamometer (HHD) for shoulder external rotation (ER) and internal rotation (IR), as well as hamstring and quadricep strength. Upper and lower limb balance were also assessed using the Upper (YBT-UQ) and Lower Quarter Y Balance Test (YBT-LQ) tests. The results showed significantly greater balance in the upper extremities of swimmers and in the lower extremities of the sprinters in both the dominant (DS) and non-dominant (NDS) sides than in other groups (<i>p</i> < 0.0001). However, no significant difference in internal and external shoulder rotator muscles strength between the groups (<i>p</i> > 0.05). Although significant differences were found in hamstring strength on the dominant side and quadricep strength on both sides (<i>p</i> < 0.05), a notable finding was that sprint athletes consistently demonstrated stronger quadriceps muscles as compared to other groups in both the dominant and non-dominant sides. According to the current findings, there are significant differences in upper and lower body balance, hamstring, and quadricep muscle strength among sports. This suggests that athletes of asymmetrical sports may need to improve non-dominant side knee strength and balance symmetry to prevent the risk of injury.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/13/3/89inter-limb asymmetrylimb dominancestrengthyouthunilateral imbalance
spellingShingle Safoura Heshmati
Kourosh Ghahraman Tabrizi
Abdolhamid Daneshjoo
Elham Hosseini
Saeid Bahiraei
Mansour Sahebozamani
Andreas Konrad
David George Behm
Effects of Asymmetric and Symmetric Sport Load on Upper and Lower Extremity Strength and Balance: A Comparison Between the Dominant and Non-Dominant Side in Adolescent Female Athletes
Sports
inter-limb asymmetry
limb dominance
strength
youth
unilateral imbalance
title Effects of Asymmetric and Symmetric Sport Load on Upper and Lower Extremity Strength and Balance: A Comparison Between the Dominant and Non-Dominant Side in Adolescent Female Athletes
title_full Effects of Asymmetric and Symmetric Sport Load on Upper and Lower Extremity Strength and Balance: A Comparison Between the Dominant and Non-Dominant Side in Adolescent Female Athletes
title_fullStr Effects of Asymmetric and Symmetric Sport Load on Upper and Lower Extremity Strength and Balance: A Comparison Between the Dominant and Non-Dominant Side in Adolescent Female Athletes
title_full_unstemmed Effects of Asymmetric and Symmetric Sport Load on Upper and Lower Extremity Strength and Balance: A Comparison Between the Dominant and Non-Dominant Side in Adolescent Female Athletes
title_short Effects of Asymmetric and Symmetric Sport Load on Upper and Lower Extremity Strength and Balance: A Comparison Between the Dominant and Non-Dominant Side in Adolescent Female Athletes
title_sort effects of asymmetric and symmetric sport load on upper and lower extremity strength and balance a comparison between the dominant and non dominant side in adolescent female athletes
topic inter-limb asymmetry
limb dominance
strength
youth
unilateral imbalance
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/13/3/89
work_keys_str_mv AT safouraheshmati effectsofasymmetricandsymmetricsportloadonupperandlowerextremitystrengthandbalanceacomparisonbetweenthedominantandnondominantsideinadolescentfemaleathletes
AT kouroshghahramantabrizi effectsofasymmetricandsymmetricsportloadonupperandlowerextremitystrengthandbalanceacomparisonbetweenthedominantandnondominantsideinadolescentfemaleathletes
AT abdolhamiddaneshjoo effectsofasymmetricandsymmetricsportloadonupperandlowerextremitystrengthandbalanceacomparisonbetweenthedominantandnondominantsideinadolescentfemaleathletes
AT elhamhosseini effectsofasymmetricandsymmetricsportloadonupperandlowerextremitystrengthandbalanceacomparisonbetweenthedominantandnondominantsideinadolescentfemaleathletes
AT saeidbahiraei effectsofasymmetricandsymmetricsportloadonupperandlowerextremitystrengthandbalanceacomparisonbetweenthedominantandnondominantsideinadolescentfemaleathletes
AT mansoursahebozamani effectsofasymmetricandsymmetricsportloadonupperandlowerextremitystrengthandbalanceacomparisonbetweenthedominantandnondominantsideinadolescentfemaleathletes
AT andreaskonrad effectsofasymmetricandsymmetricsportloadonupperandlowerextremitystrengthandbalanceacomparisonbetweenthedominantandnondominantsideinadolescentfemaleathletes
AT davidgeorgebehm effectsofasymmetricandsymmetricsportloadonupperandlowerextremitystrengthandbalanceacomparisonbetweenthedominantandnondominantsideinadolescentfemaleathletes