Investigation of Gender Differences Related to Knee Strength Asymmetry

Abstract

Objectives: Inter-limb strength asymmetry is one of the major risk factors for non-contact injuries in sport. The determination of strength asymmetry provides an important information to develop different strategies for injury prevention and risk management in sport. It is not well-known whether inter-limb strength asymmetry differences exist between genders. The aim of this study was to determine the contralateral knee strength asymmetry differences between genders.
Material and Methods: Thirty-three physically active but not highly-trained individuals (Age: 21.4±2.9 years, height: 1.75±0.07 m, body weight: 66.2±9.6 kg, body fat ratio: 15.2±5.7 %, BMI: 21.6±2.3 kg/m2) voluntarily participated in this study. Approximately one week after the familiarization phase, all subjects performed knee isokinetic strength tests at slow (60°.s-1), medium (180°.s-1) and fast (300°.s-1) angular velocities for right and left knee flexion-extension movement. The symmetry angle formula was used to calculate the contralateral strength asymmetry scores between lower-limbs. The differences between symmetry angles and genders were analyzed using independent sample t-test.
Results: It was found that flexion and extension isokinetic contralateral knee strength asymmetry scores at slow, medium and fast angular angular velocities did not reveal any statistically significant differences between genders (p>0.05).
Conclusions: It has been found that there were no differences between concentric isokinetic knee strength symmetry angle scores between genders at all angular velocities in physically active but not highly-trained individuals.

Cite this article as: Kacoglu C. Investigation of gender differences related to knee strength asymmetry. Turk J Sports Med. 2019;54(4):225-32.

Karar tarihi: 29.01.2019, sayı: 25403353-050.99-E.12498, Evrak doğrulama adresi: https://ebysnetm.ogu.edu.tr/Home/ Dogrulama/ac9e967e-0ed7-46e7-b0ad-d6c689dc04bc