Laterality versus jumping performance in men and women

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Human Movement Science
• Sports Science

Background:

• Functional asymmetry in lower limbs can influence athletic performance.
• Foot morphology, including arch height, may play a role in power generation during jumps.
• Understanding these relationships is crucial for optimizing training and injury prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between lower limb functional asymmetry, foot morphological features, and jumping ability in both men and women.
• To identify potential gender-specific differences in these associations.

Main Methods:

• Fifty-six healthy adults (30 women, 26 men) participated.
• Planto-graphic measurements assessed foot arch height (Clarke's angle).
• Counter movement jumps (CMJ) on a force plate measured bilateral and unilateral jumping performance.

Main Results:

• Limited correlations were found between foot indices and jump height, primarily in men using their non-dominant limb.
• No significant difference in jumping ability between dominant and non-dominant limbs was observed in women.
• A bilateral deficit in jumping ability was present in both genders, with slightly higher values in men (8.4%) compared to women (6.5%).

Conclusions:

• Significant gender differences exist in the correlations between foot indices and jumping performance (single-leg and bilateral).
• Foot morphology appears to have a more pronounced relationship with jumping ability in men than in women.