Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate relationships between functional asymmetry of lower limbs, taking into account morphological features of the feet, and jumping ability in men and women. Methods: The study population consisted of 56 subjects, 30 women (age: 20.29 ± 0.59 years; body mass: 58.13 ± 4.58 kg, body height: 165.60 ± 5.03 cm) and 26 men (age: 20.41 ± 0.78 years, body mass: 78.39 ± 8.42 kg, body height: 181.15 ± 6.52 cm). The measurements of longitudinal arches were performed with the plantographic method on the basis of Clarke’s angle mapped on a computer foot print. The measurements of jumping performance during bilateral (two legs) and unilateral (single-leg) counter movement jump (CMJ) were done on force plate. All subjects jumped three times each type of jump (total 9 jumps): three right leg, three left leg and three two legs. We put the test results through a detailed statistical analysis with the Statistica 8.0. The t-test for dependent variables and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for divergent variances of the features compared. The analysis of relationships between the chosen podometric and plantographic features and jumping performance was conducted on the basis of the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient (for the features which presented normal distribution, according to the Shapiro–Wilk test). Results: The correlations between values of height of single-leg jumps (right and left) and bilateral jumps, and foot indices were found in few cases only in men who had greater values of jump height with the non-dominant limb. We did not find a significant difference in jumping ability between the dominant limb and the non-dominant limb in women. We found bilateral deficits in jumping ability in the study groups, though we did not find significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) between the values for women (a mean of 6.5%) and for men (a mean of 8.4%). Conclusion: We found significant gender differences of the correlations between the values of height of jumps (single-leg and bilateral jumps) and foot indices.
Purpose: The aim of the study was to analyze the connections between the functional asymmetries of lower limbs, taking into account morphological feet features, and ankle dorsi- and plantarflexion maximal torques in men and women. Methods: The study population consisted of 56 young subjects among which there were 30 women and 26 men. The assessment of upper and lower limbs’ side dominance was performed on the basis of surveys, verified with simple motor tasks that resembled the actions characteristic of the upper and lower limbs. The measurements of body build, as well as foot build, were performed with the use of accepted instruments according to the anthropometry standards. The measurements of longitudinal foot arches were conducted using the pantographic method. Ankle dorsi- and plantarflexion maximal torque values were measured under static conditions. Results: We found a positive correlation between the functional dominance of lower limb and greater strength only for ankle plantarflexion maximal torque values in correct laterality variants in women and in only one variant in men. No correlation was found between foot morphological asymmetry and the ankle dorsiand plantarflexion maximal torque values, either in women or in men. Conclusion: Our results support the idea that the functional lower limb dominance is not equivalent to the greater muscle strength.
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