{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,16]],"date-time":"2026-01-16T09:51:40Z","timestamp":1768557100867,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,23]],"date-time":"2022-02-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1645574400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Symmetry"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Assessment of the inter-limb asymmetry of leg stiffness is carried out using one-legged jumping tasks. However, the level of asymmetry may vary depending on the performance on one or both lower limbs. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the differences in leg stiffness between the dominant and non-dominant lower limb during a two-legged countermovement jump. The research was conducted on 35 s-league basketball players (body height: 1.90 \u00b1 0.08 m, body mass: 81.9 \u00b1 10 kg, age: 19.5 \u00b1 1.7 years). Each participant performed three countermovement jumps with arm swing to the maximum height. Measurements employed a BTS SMART motion analysis system and two Kistler force plates. Statistically significant differences were found during the comparison of leg stiffness in the dominant and non-dominant lower limbs. Inter-limb asymmetry of leg stiffness reached 22.0% in the countermovement phase and 8.9% in the take-off phase. Significant inter-limb asymmetry of leg stiffness might lead to injury or considerably reduce the performance of athletes. Therefore, an important role is to conduct strength and speed-strength trainings with proper loads to both body sides. Coaches should pay more attention to similar lower limbs movement patterns during two-legged exercises and bilateral strength development.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/sym14030440","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,24]],"date-time":"2022-02-24T00:53:26Z","timestamp":1645664006000},"page":"440","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Inter-Limb Asymmetry of Leg Stiffness in National Second-League Basketball Players during Countermovement Jumps"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4798-7899","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Artur","family":"Struzik","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomechanics, Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences, Mickiewicza 58 Street, 51-684 Wroc\u0142aw, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6109-7510","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"S\u0142awomir","family":"Winiarski","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomechanics, Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences, Mickiewicza 58 Street, 51-684 Wroc\u0142aw, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jerzy","family":"Zawadzki","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomechanics, Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences, Mickiewicza 58 Street, 51-684 Wroc\u0142aw, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"2157","article-title":"Body asymmetries: Incidence, etiology and clinical implications","volume":"5","author":"Zaidi","year":"2011","journal-title":"Aust. J. Basic Appl. Sci."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.2478\/v10078-012-0078-5","article-title":"An evaluation of symmetry in the lower limb joints during the able-bodied gait of women and men","volume":"35","author":"Forczek","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Hum. Kinet."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"71","DOI":"10.1080\/17461390500533147","article-title":"Multivariate isokinetic asymmetry of the knee and shoulder in elite volleyball players","volume":"6","author":"Markou","year":"2006","journal-title":"Eur. J. Sport Sci."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"181","DOI":"10.3233\/IES-2000-0049","article-title":"Isokinetic evaluation of the ankle plantar and dorsiflexion strength to determine the dominant limb in basketball players","volume":"8","author":"Theoharopoulos","year":"2000","journal-title":"Isokinet. Exerc. Sci."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1568","DOI":"10.1080\/00140130500101585","article-title":"Comparison of muscle strength and flexibility between the preferred and non-preferred leg in English soccer players","volume":"48","author":"Rahnama","year":"2005","journal-title":"Ergonomics"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"82","DOI":"10.1519\/SSC.0b013e31823e83db","article-title":"Multidirectional leg asymmetry assessment in sport","volume":"34","author":"Hewitt","year":"2012","journal-title":"Strength Cond. J."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1135","DOI":"10.1080\/02640414.2017.1361894","article-title":"Effects of inter-limb asymmetries on physical and sports performance: A systematic review","volume":"36","author":"Bishop","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Sport. Sci."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.5114\/hm.2021.98458","article-title":"Inter-limb step asymmetry in closed and open skill sprint accelerations in soccer players","volume":"22","author":"Wdowski","year":"2021","journal-title":"Hum. Mov."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Struzik, A. (2019). Measuring Leg Stiffness during Vertical Jumps: Theory and Methods, Springer. [1st ed.].","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-030-31794-2"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1217","DOI":"10.1016\/0021-9290(89)90224-8","article-title":"The spring-mass model for running and hopping","volume":"22","author":"Blickhan","year":"1989","journal-title":"J. Biomech."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1347","DOI":"10.1080\/02640414.2012.710755","article-title":"A review of models of vertical, leg, and knee stiffness in adults for running, jumping or hopping tasks","volume":"30","author":"Serpell","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Sport. Sci."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"511","DOI":"10.1016\/S0268-0033(03)00071-8","article-title":"Lower extremity stiffness: Implications for performance and injury","volume":"18","author":"Butler","year":"2003","journal-title":"Clin. Biomech."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"170","DOI":"10.1055\/s-2003-45252","article-title":"A simple method for field measurements of leg stiffness in hopping","volume":"25","author":"Dalleau","year":"2004","journal-title":"Int. J. Sports Med."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109","DOI":"10.1080\/14763141.2018.1460395","article-title":"Lower limb stiffness testing in athletic performance: A critical review","volume":"20","author":"Maloney","year":"2021","journal-title":"Sport. Biomech."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1705","DOI":"10.1519\/JSC.0b013e31817ae4a7","article-title":"The role of elastic energy in activities with high force and power requirements: A brief review","volume":"22","author":"Wilson","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. Strength Cond. Res."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"929","DOI":"10.1007\/BF03262304","article-title":"Lower limb mechanical properties: Determining factors and implications for performance","volume":"42","author":"Pearson","year":"2012","journal-title":"Sports Med."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1921","DOI":"10.1007\/s40279-016-0526-9","article-title":"Stiffness as a risk factor for Achilles tendon injury in running athletes","volume":"46","author":"Lorimer","year":"2016","journal-title":"Sports Med."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1156","DOI":"10.1519\/JSC.0000000000002283","article-title":"Lower extremity stiffness: Considerations for testing, performance enhancement, and injury risk","volume":"33","author":"Brazier","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Strength Cond. Res."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"71","DOI":"10.1080\/02640414.2011.624540","article-title":"Relationship between leg stiffness and lower body injuries in professional Australian football","volume":"30","author":"Pruyn","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Sport. Sci."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"126","DOI":"10.1002\/jor.20472","article-title":"Neuromuscular adaptations and correlates of knee functionality following ACL reconstruction","volume":"26","author":"Bryant","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. Orthop. Res."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"55","DOI":"10.1123\/jab.29.1.55","article-title":"Effect of hopping frequency on bilateral differences in leg stiffness","volume":"29","author":"Hobara","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Appl. Biomech."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"406","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jsams.2007.12.003","article-title":"The effect of training status on inter-limb joint stiffness regulation during repeated maximal sprints","volume":"12","author":"Clark","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Sci. Med. Sport"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2058","DOI":"10.1177\/0363546510370197","article-title":"A prospective study of the relationship between lower body stiffness and hamstring injury in professional Australian rules footballers","volume":"38","author":"Watsford","year":"2010","journal-title":"Am. J. Sport. Med."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"829","DOI":"10.1080\/02640414.2015.1075055","article-title":"A comparison of methods to determine bilateral asymmetries in vertical leg stiffness","volume":"34","author":"Maloney","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Sport. Sci."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bishop, C., Abbott, W., Brashill, C., Turner, A., Lake, J., and Read, P. (2020). Bilateral vs. unilateral countermovement jumps: Comparing the magnitude and direction of asymmetry in elite academy soccer players. J. Strength Cond. Res., in press.","DOI":"10.1519\/JSC.0000000000003679"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Miras-Moreno, S., P\u00e9rez-Castilla, A., Rojas, F.J., Janicijevic, D., De la Cruz, J.C., Cepero, M., and Garc\u00eda-Ramos, A. (2021). Inter-limb differences in unilateral countermovement jump height are not associated with the inter-limb differences in bilateral countermovement jump force production. Sport. Biomech., 1\u201313.","DOI":"10.1080\/14763141.2021.1980091"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"P\u00e9rez-Castilla, A., Garc\u00eda-Ramos, A., Janicijevic, D., Delgado-Garc\u00eda, G., De la Cruz, J.C., Rojas, F.J., and Cepero, M. (2021). Between-session reliability of performance and asymmetry variables obtained during unilateral and bilateral countermovement jumps in basketball players. PLoS ONE, 16.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0255458"},{"key":"ref_28","first-page":"163","article-title":"Application of force-length curve for determination of leg stiffness during a vertical jump","volume":"18","author":"Struzik","year":"2016","journal-title":"Acta Bioeng. Biomech."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"127","DOI":"10.1016\/S1050-6411(02)00003-2","article-title":"Gender differences in active musculoskeletal stiffness. Part II. Quantification of leg stiffness during functional hopping tasks","volume":"12","author":"Granata","year":"2002","journal-title":"J. Electromyogr. Kines."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"89","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bspc.2018.01.013","article-title":"Gait symmetry measures: A review of current and prospective methods","volume":"42","author":"Viteckova","year":"2018","journal-title":"Biomed. Signal Process. Control"},{"key":"ref_31","unstructured":"Latash, M.L., and Zatsiorsky, V.M. (2016). Biomechanics and Motor Control: Defining Central Concepts, Academic Press. [1st ed.]."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2700","DOI":"10.1519\/JSC.0b013e318280d28e","article-title":"Comparison of ground reaction force asymmetry in one- and two-legged countermovement jumps","volume":"27","author":"Benjanuvatra","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Strength Cond. Res."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"25","DOI":"10.22317\/jcms.v2i5.66","article-title":"Effect of countermovement and arm swing on vertical stiffness and jump performance","volume":"2","author":"Shadmehr","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Contemp. Med. Sci."},{"key":"ref_34","first-page":"547","article-title":"Do stiffness and asymmetries predict change of direction performance?","volume":"35","author":"Maloney","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Sport. Sci."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"884","DOI":"10.1519\/JSC.0000000000000367","article-title":"Lean mass asymmetry influences force and power asymmetry during jumping in collegiate athletes","volume":"28","author":"Bell","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Strength Cond. Res."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"39","DOI":"10.4085\/1062-6050-44.1.39","article-title":"Explosive strength imbalances in professional basketball players","volume":"44","author":"Schiltz","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Athl. Train."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Versic, S., Pehar, M., Modric, T., Pavlinovic, V., Spasic, M., Uljevic, O., Corluka, M., Sattler, T., and Sekulic, D. (2021). Bilateral symmetry of jumping and agility in professional basketball players: Differentiating performance levels and playing positions. Symmetry, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/sym13081316"}],"container-title":["Symmetry"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2073-8994\/14\/3\/440\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T22:25:38Z","timestamp":1760135138000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2073-8994\/14\/3\/440"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,23]]},"references-count":37,"journal-issue":{"issue":"3","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,3]]}},"alternative-id":["sym14030440"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/sym14030440","relation":{},"ISSN":["2073-8994"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2073-8994","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,23]]}}}