Abstract

The main aim of this study was to investigate differences in functional (FS) and lateral (LS) lower limb muscle asymmetry measured by tensiomyography (TMG) between differently trained participants. The sample consisted of 159 men and women divided into five groups: the physically inactive (PI), the physically active (PA), strength and power athletes (SP), endurance athletes (EA) and team sports athletes (TS). The level of muscle asymmetry was evaluated using TMG. To examine the differences between differently trained individuals and sexes in the TMG-derived parameters, two-way multivariate and univariate analyses of variance (MANOVA and ANOVA) were performed. Differences between differently trained groups (F = 2.923, p = 0.004, η2 = 0.074) and between sexes (F = 4.751, p = 0.010, η2 = 0.061) were found regarding the FS, where SP athletes exhibited lower values (right leg) compared to EA athletes (p = 0.001), and females lower values (right and left leg) than males (p = 0.012, on average). There were no significant differences in any other measured parameter of FS and LS. In conclusion, both physical activity type and level and sex emerged as significant independent factors that are associated to some extent with functional but not lateral lower limb asymmetry.