Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40271209›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in physiology2025

Unilateral plyometric training effectively reduces lower limb asymmetry in athletes: a meta-analysis.

Wei Sun, Hui Li, Luping Qu, Yuehui Zhou, Xiaoyang Cao, Ke Wang, Ke Li

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in physiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
11citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

11 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Wei Sun *School of Sports Training, Tianjin University of Sport, Tianjin, China.
Hui Li *School of Sports Science, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, Shandong, China.
Luping QuSchool of Sports Science, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, Shandong, China.
Yuehui ZhouSchool of Sports Science, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, Shandong, China.
Xiaoyang CaoDepartment of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Changshu Riverside Vocational School, Changshu, Jiangsu, China.
Ke WangSchool of Sports Science, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, Shandong, China.
Ke LiSports Teaching and Research Group, Yichang City Gezhouba Middle School, Yichang, Hubei, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Lower limb asymmetry in athletes is associated with impaired performance and elevated injury risk. Plyometric training (PT) and complex training (CT) are commonly used interventions for this problem, but existing evidence on their effectiveness remains inconsistent. Objective: This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate PT and CT's effects on athletes' lower limb asymmetry. The findings could help optimize training protocols and reduce the risk of sports injuries. Methods: A systematic search of Web of Science, PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus, EBSCO, CNKI, and Wanfang databases was conducted up to March 2024. Two researchers independently performed the literature screening, data extraction, and quality assessment processes. A meta-analysis was conducted via Review Manager 5.3 software, including heterogeneity tests, effect size pooling, subgroup analysis, and funnel plot construction. Results: A total of eight randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 157 participants were included. PT effectively reduced lower limb asymmetry, particularly improving single-leg countermovement jump (SLCMJ) (SMD = 0.51, P = 0.05), single-leg broad jump (SLBJ) (SMD = 0.56, P = 0.01), and single-leg lateral jump (SLLJ) (SMD = 1.24, P = 0.01), but did not affect single-leg horizontal triple jumps (SLH3J) (SMD = 0.24, P = 0.60). In contrast, CT showed no meaningful reduction in asymmetry. Subgroup analysis indicated that unilateral PT alone significantly decreased asymmetry (SMD = 0.71, P < 0.01), whereas bilateral PT (SMD = 0.23, P = 0.45), unilateral CT (SMD = -0.15, P = 0.15) and bilateral CT (SMD = -0.09, P = 0.78) interventions all failed to demonstrate efficacy. Conclusion: Unilateral PT effectively reduces lower limb asymmetry in athletes. Coaches should integrate this method into training programs to address asymmetry-related performance deficits and injury risks. Further high-quality trials are required to validate clinical applicability.

Indexed as

athletescomplex traininglower limb asymmetrymeta-analysisplyometric training

Identifiers

PMID40271209
PMCPMC12014563

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Registered trials

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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.