Interlimb kinetic asymmetries during the tuck jump assessment are more exposed following kinetic stabilization

Objective

To analyse interlimb kinetics and asymmetries during the tuck jump assessment (TJA), before and after kinetic stabilization, to identify injury risk in healthy female athletes.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

Laboratory.

Participants

Twenty-five healthy females (age 21.0 ± 1.83 yrs; height 1.68 ± 0.06 m; body mass 69.4 ± 10.7 kg).

Main outcome measures

Kinetics were measured during 10-s trials of the TJA and absolute asymmetries compared, before and after kinetic stabilization using paired sample t-tests. Statistical parametric mapping (SPM) compared vertical ground reaction force (VGRF) data for each limb during the jumping cycles before and after stabilization.

Results

Small to moderate increases in interlimb asymmetries were observed after stabilization for VGRF, relative vertical leg stiffness, average loading rate, total and propulsive impulse, peak braking and propulsive force (p < 0.05). SPM revealed significant interlimb differences between 77-98% and 83–99% of ground contact for the jumping cycles pre- and post-stabilization respectively.

Conclusions

Larger asymmetries were evident after kinetic stabilization, with increased VGRF in the non-dominant limb. We speculate that participants sacrificed interlimb landing symmetry to achieve kinetic stability, which may reflect a primal landing strategy that forgoes movement quality. Assessing lower limb biomechanics using the TJA should involve examining kinetic stability and interlimb kinetic asymmetries.