Abstract
Neuromuscular asymmetries have been previously associated with reduced performance. Similarly, maturation has shown that youth athletes may experience a loss of motor control, which could also lead to compromised physical performance. The present study aimed to evaluate and quantify the level of asymmetry among chronological and maturational groups. Forty-one youth tennis players performed the single leg countermovement jump (SLCMJ), star excursion balance test (SEBT) and a change of direction speed (CODS) test. Differences were found between the strongest and weakest limbs across all tests (p < 0.001), and also for SEBT in the posteromedial direction (p = 0.02), SEBT composite score (p < 0.01) in maturation groups, and for SEBT posterolateral direction (p = 0.03) and SEBT composite score (p = 0.01) in chronological groups. The SLCMJ showed the largest inter-limb asymmetries for the circa peak height velocity (PHV) group (19.31 ± 12.19%) and under-14 (U14) group (17.55 ± 9.90%). Chronological and maturation groups followed similar trends for inter-limb asymmetries, but the biological index showed larger asymmetry scores in the jumping test at PHV compared to that found in the chronological group (U14). These results show that inter-limb differences may be heightened during PHV. Practitioners can use this information to inform the decision-making process when prescribing training interventions in youth tennis players.
Highlights
Tennis is an intermittent sport characterized by repetitive high-intensity efforts during competition with an average duration of 90 min per match [1]
Mean values of asymmetry showed that the single leg countermovement jump (SLCMJ) test produced the largest between-limb differences (14.7%), whereas the change of direction speed (CODS) test showed the lowest percentage of asymmetry (2.1%)
Taking into consideration our results, we can conclude that chronological and maturational analysis of inter-limb asymmetries did not show different results when studying inter-limb asymmetries
Summary
Tennis is an intermittent sport characterized by repetitive high-intensity efforts (e.g., accelerations, decelerations) during competition with an average duration of 90 min per match [1]. It should be noted that tennis players perform more actions on their forehand side [4], and due to the repetitive sport-specific demands, this represents an intrinsic risk factor for potential injuries [5]. Recent evidence has shown that larger asymmetries are a key factor to consider in the return to play process after injury [6], are linked to reduced neuromuscular control during hopping tasks [7], and have a detrimental effect on measures of physical performance [8,9]. Bishop et al [8] showed that greater lower-limb asymmetries in jump height were associated with reduced 5, 10, 20 m sprint and vertical jump performance in youth female soccer athletes.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
