SynthesisPloS one2023
The effect of lower inter-limb asymmetries on athletic performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 35 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
35 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- The Relationship Between Inter-limb Asymmetry and Sprinting Performance in Sprint Athletes: A Systematic Review.Sports medicine - open · 2026Pooled it
- Unilateral plyometric training effectively reduces lower limb asymmetry in athletes: a meta-analysis.Frontiers in physiology · 2025Pooled it
- Association Between Inter-Limb Asymmetry and Determinants of Middle- and Long-distance Running Performance in Healthy Populations: A Systematic Review.Sports medicine - open · 2024Pooled it
- Subliminal Priming Effects on Motor and Cognitive Performance: Pilot Evidence With Implications for Neurorehabilitation.Neurosciences (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) · 2026Trial
- Trial
- Table tennis musculoskeletal injuries in young high-level players: a 17-year retrospective cohort study.Annals of medicine and surgery (2012) · 2026Article
- Associations Between the Horizontal Force-Velocity Profile and Change of Direction Asymmetries and Phase-Specific Performance in Elite U21 Football Players.European journal of sport science · 2026Article
- Inter-Limb Asymmetry and Its Limited Role in Physical Performance and Match Demands in Football Players with Spastic Hemiparesis-An Exploratory Team Study.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2026Article
- Discrete Symmetry Metrics Mask Frequent Phase-Specific Lower Limb Asymmetry During Bilateral Countermovement Jumping in Youth Football Players.Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports · 2026Article
- Inter-Limb Asymmetry: Lessons Learnt from 10 Years of Data Collection in Performance Sport.Journal of human kinetics · 2026Article
- Targeted cryostimulation of myofascial trigger points modulates exercise-induced physiological tremor in adolescent swimmers: a randomized counterbalanced crossover trial.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2026Article
- Hip and Knee Bilateral Deficit Across Bilateral, Unilateral, and Split-Load Leg Press Conditions.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2026Article
- Enhancing Coordination Skills and Upper-Limb Symmetry Through a Mobile-Application-Based Training Program in 12-14-Year-Old Basketball Players.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2026Article
- The effects of an 8-week Exer-Genie-assisted speed and ABC drill training program on speed, hamstring strength, and vertical jump performance in female football players.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2026Article
- Variation of Lower-Limb Muscle Activation Asymmetry in Step Incremental and Constant-Power Pedaling Exercise.Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- The influence of lateral dominance on bilateral performance in alpine skiers.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2026Article
- Offset loading in hexagonal bar deadlift: a 'stealth' strategy for acutely modulating neuromuscular activation asymmetry and enhancing acute jump performance.Frontiers in physiology · 2026Article
- Exploring performance-related inter-limb asymmetry thresholds in speed skating: a CART analysis approach.Frontiers in physiology · 2026Article
- Novel Use of Generalizability Theory to Optimize Countermovement Jump Data Collection in Female Athletes.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Biomechanical Differences in Bilateral Lower Limb Movement During the Back Kick Technique of Outstanding Taekwondo Athletes.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Inter-limb asymmetry refers to an imbalance in performance between the left and right limbs. Discrepancies throughout asymmetry research does not allow practitioners to confidently understand the effect of inter-limb asymmetries on athletic performance. Therefore, this review summarized the current literature using a meta-analytic approach, conforming to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses guidelines to identify the association between inter-limb asymmetry and athletic performance. A literature search using PubMed, Web of Science and SPORTDiscus databases yielded 11-studies assessing the effect of inter-limb asymmetries, measured via unilateral jump performance, on bilateral jump, change of direction (COD) and sprint performance in adult sports players. The quality of evidence was assessed via a modified Downs and Black checklist and in compliance with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation. Correlation coefficients were transformed via Fishers z (Zr), meta-analysed and then re-converted to correlation coefficients. Egger's regression presented no significant risk of bias. Vertical jump performance was not significantly affected by asymmetry (Zr = 0.053, r = 0.05; P = 0.874), whereas COD and sprint both presented significant weak associations (COD, Zr = 0.243, r = 0.24; Sprint, Zr = 0.203, r = 0.2; P < 0.01). The results demonstrate that inter-limb asymmetries seem to present a negative impact to COD and sprint performance but not vertical jump performance. Practitioners should consider implementing monitoring strategies to identify, monitor and possibly address inter-limb asymmetries, specifically for performance tests underpinned by unilateral movements such as COD and sprint performance.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.