Abstract
PurposeTo determine the volume and degree of asymmetry of the musculus rectus abdominis (RA) in professional tennis players.MethodsThe volume of the RA was determined using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 8 professional male tennis players and 6 non-active male control subjects.ResultsTennis players had 58% greater RA volume than controls (P = 0.01), due to hypertrophy of both the dominant (34% greater volume, P = 0.02) and non-dominant (82% greater volume, P = 0.01) sides, after accounting for age, the length of the RA muscle and body mass index (BMI) as covariates. In tennis players, there was a marked asymmetry in the development of the RA, which volume was 35% greater in the non-dominant compared to the dominant side (P<0.001). In contrast, no side-to-side difference in RA volume was observed in the controls (P = 0.75). The degree of side-to-side asymmetry increased linearly from the first lumbar disc to the pubic symphysis (r = 0.97, P<0.001).ConclusionsProfessional tennis is associated with marked hypertrophy of the musculus rectus abdominis, which achieves a volume that is 58% greater than in non-active controls. Rectus abdominis hypertrophy is more marked in the non-dominant than in the dominant side, particularly in the more distal regions. Our study supports the concept that humans can differentially recruit both rectus abdominis but also the upper and lower regions of each muscle. It remains to be determined if this disequilibrium raises the risk of injury.
Highlights
Tennis is an asymmetric sport causing marked muscle hypertrophy in the dominant arm compared to the non-dominant arm [1,2]
The main aim of this study was to determine the volume and degree of asymmetry of the musculus rectus abdominis (RA) in professional tennis players compared to non-active controls
Tennis players and controls were comparable in age and body mass
Summary
Tennis is an asymmetric sport causing marked muscle hypertrophy in the dominant arm compared to the non-dominant arm [1,2]. The arm that holds the racket is only the last link of a kinetic chain involving the sequential activation of the trunk muscles to cause trunk rotation and flexion movements to facilitate the transfer moment from the legs and trunk to the arm and the racket [3]. This implies that the recruitment of the trunk muscles is asymmetric [4]. Non-active controls have higher strength during trunk extension and balanced dominant/nondominant lateral flexion strength ratios [7,8,9]
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