A comparison of bilateral muscular imbalance ratio calculations using functional tests

Bampouras, Theodoros ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8991-4655 and Dewhurst, Susan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2747-9122 (2018) A comparison of bilateral muscular imbalance ratio calculations using functional tests. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 32 (8). pp. 2216-2220.

Preview

PDF - Accepted Version Available under License CC BY-NC Download (551kB) | Preview

Abstract

Bilateral muscular imbalance can increase the risk of injury and negatively impact sporting performance. Bilateral muscular imbalances are typically calculated as ((side 1-side 2)/reference value) x 100, to provide a percentage value of the difference between limbs. Using different numerator (right-left or strong-weak) or reference values (left, right, strong, weak, average of the two) could mask or inflate the true difference value. The present study aimed to compare the bilateral muscular imbalance ratio calculations, using the absolute difference between limbs as the numerator and the five different options as reference values. Twenty three males (21.6±1.9 years, 1.80±0.06 m, 80.5±13.8 kg) and eleven females (20.8± 1.5 years, 1.62±0.03 m, 68.0±6.5 kg) performed the one-legged 6m timed test and the onelegged triple hop distance test. The five possible combinations were compared with a 2 (gender) x 2 (functional test) x 5 (calculation method) ANOVA for each test. Significant differences (P<0.05) were found between gender when the right leg was used as the reference value (males:6.1%, females:9.1%), and within calculation methods for males (range:5.9%-6.5%) and females (range:8.4%-9.4%), with low effect sizes (range: 0.07-0.26). The present findings demonstrate that using a different reference value for calculating bilateral muscular imbalances does not result in a practically significant difference. These findings can be used to inform a more standardised calculation method which will afford conditioning coaches a more correct evaluation and monitoring of training and rehabilitation programmes.

Item Type:	Article
Journal / Publication Title:	Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
Publisher:	Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins for National Strength and Conditioning Association
ISSN:	1533-4287
Departments:	Academic Departments > Medical & Sport Sciences (MSS) > Sports and Physical Activity
Additional Information:	PMID: 28301433.
Depositing User:	Anna Lupton
Date Deposited:	20 Mar 2017 09:48
Last Modified:	12 Jan 2024 20:17
URI:	https://insight.cumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/2733

Downloads