Analysis of Lower Limb Bilateral Force Asymmetries by Different Vertical Jump Techniques

Abstract

This study has compared the diagnostic information of lower limb bilateral force asymmetry by the impulse variable at different vertical jumps techniques. Twenty-nine soccer players carried out six attempts at each of the vertical jumps, countermovement jump and squat jump, on two synchronized force platforms. After the calculation of the symmetry index, the athletes were classified as symmetric and asymmetric respecting a cutoff value of 15%, McNamara's test compared the diagnostic information among the techniques. Significant differences were found among the diagnostic information of the different techniques (p<0.05). It is thus concluded that different vertical jump techniques provide different information in regard to the level of bilateral force asymmetry in soccer players.