My comments on the topic of laterality in sports training and rehabilitation
which I submitted to another user group may also be of interest here.
***Reliance on one specific side of the body may be cued more by fatigue
rather than handedness or laterality, so that in assessing the effects of
handedness, we also have to examine the differences in motor skill, static
and dynamic strength, and strength endurance between the two sides of the
body.
It is also relevant to note that the supporting leg in athletes such as
soccer players tends to test stronger than the dominant kicking leg,
especially under isometric conditions (undoubtedly because of its importance
as a stabiliser during kicking). This is important in rehabilitation which
is based on isokinetic or other forms of muscle testing, because this sort of
asymmetry may be adjudged to reflect 'muscle imbalance', whereas in reality
it may simply reflect the specificity of function in a particular sport.
Thus, it may be that participation in sport may appear to skew handedness
even more, even though this may reflect no predisposition to injury or
inefficiency of technique. This type of asymmetry might not even be solely
applicable to the extremities, but also to the core of the body, so that
apparent asymmetries of the back musculature may indicate nothing more than a
concomitant effect of handedness or laterality, sometimes accentuated by
sport or work specific training or usage.
In other words, we have to be cautious not to rely on diagnosing apparent
imbalances on the basis of a single measure alone applied out of the context
of the individual and the individual's regular physical activities.
I wonder how often the practical application of theories of kinesiological
symmetry or 'muscle imbalance' may be inappropriate for such reasons?
Similarly, we may also wonder if bilateral exercises such as barbell squats,
standing presses or bench presses are always the most relevant in the
strengthening or rehabilitation of athletes whose sport demands unilateral
action or bilateral asymmetry.
Dr Mel C Siff
Denver, USA
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