Reducing Limb Asymmetry in Females Collegiate Basketball: A Randomized Trial

Abstract

Background and Aim: Interlimb strength asymmetry has garnered significant attention in the field of sports science for its potential to influence both athletic performance and injury risk. Despite this, there is a noticeable gap in the literature concerning its impact on elite female collegiate basketball players. The study aims to assess the effectiveness of targeted weaker limb strength training in reducing jump strength asymmetry among elite female college basketball players. Materials and Methods: A randomized controlled design was used, involving 24 elite female college basketball players from Guangzhou Sports University. The Experimental Group underwent specialized training for the weaker limb, while the Control Group followed balanced training. The primary outcome was the change in the maximum ground reaction force (GRF) during single-leg jumps. Linear Mixed-Effects models were used for statistical analysis, with a two-tailed significance level of p<0.05. Result: The intervention was effective in reducing Countermovement Jump Asymmetry and Horizontal Jump Asymmetry with statistical significance (p-values 0.0045 and 0.029, respectively) but did not significantly impact Lateral Jump Asymmetry (p-value 0.2733). These findings were consistent when comparing the Experimental and Control groups post-intervention (p-values 0.0055 and 0.0474 for Countermovement and Horizontal, respectively; 0.3995 for Lateral). Time and group interaction analyses were significant but not universally consistent across all measures after the Bonferroni correction. Overall, the intervention had a mixed but generally positive effect on jump asymmetry. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that targeted weaker limb strength training can effectively reduce jump strength asymmetry in elite female collegiate basketball players. These findings have implications for athletic training regimens aimed at both improving performance and reducing the risk of injury.