Lower-Limb Lean Mass Asymmetry Ranges and Their Association With Jump Performance in Collegiate Athletes

Authors

Veronika Kramarenko, East Texas A&M UniversityFollow
Michael Oldham, East Texas A&M UniversityFollow
Vipa Bernhardt, East Texas A&M UniversityFollow
Nikita Strogalev, East Texas A&M UniversityFollow
Brian Jones, East Texas A&M UniiversityFollow
Bronwyn Banks, East Texas A&M UniversityFollow
Dylan Sabo, East Texas A&M UniversityFollow
Fatima Alonso, East Texas A&M UniversityFollow
Joshua Nate, East Texas A&M UniversityFollow
Karla Pegueros, East Texas A&M UniversityFollow
Ouays Bakcha, East Texas A&M UniversityFollow
Stephanie Tapia Ochoa, East Texas A&M UniversityFollow

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Lower-limb asymmetries have gained increasing attention due to their potential influence on athlete health and performance. Previous research provides mixed findings on the impact of asymmetries on jump performance. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore lower-limb asymmetry ranges associated with changes in jump performance in a large, multi-sport cohort of athletes. METHODS:  A total of 721 NCAA Division I athletes (483 males, 239 females) from seven sports were included. Lower-limb asymmetries were calculated as the absolute difference between right and left limb values divided by the larger value and multiplied by 100. Asymmetries were quantified for lower-body lean mass assessed via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Vertical jump (VJ) and drop jump (DJ) heights were measured using a markerless motion capture system (DARI Motion®). Asymmetry values were categorized into three ranges (0–5%, 5–10%, 10–15%), excluding values >15% due to insufficient sample size. One-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) examined differences in jump performance across asymmetry ranges for the total sample and by sex. RESULTS: For the total sample, vertical jump performance decreased with increasing lower-limb asymmetry. There was a significant effect of asymmetry on vertical jump (F(2,718) = 4.76, p = 0.009, η² = 0.013), with post-hoc tests indicating lower performance in the 5–10% asymmetry group compared with 0–5% (p = 0.033). Drop jump performance showed similar results, but did not reach statistical significance (F(2,718) = 2.77, p = 0.063). In males, vertical jump was significantly affected by asymmetry (F(2,479) = 7.09, p = 0.0009, η² = 0.029), with the 10–15% group performing worse than both 0–5% (p = 0.003) and 5–10% (p = 0.034). Drop jump in males also showed reduced performance at 10–15% asymmetry compared with 0–5% (p = 0.023). In females, no significant differences were observed across asymmetry bins for either vertical jump or drop jump (p > 0.10). CONCLUSION: Lower-limb lean mass asymmetries above 5% can be associated with reduced vertical jump performance, particularly in male athletes, while females appear less affected. These findings suggest that moderate asymmetries may negatively influence explosive performance in men, highlighting the importance of monitoring and addressing asymmetries in athletic populations.

Recommended Citation

Kramarenko, Veronika; Oldham, Michael; Bernhardt, Vipa; Strogalev, Nikita; Jones, Brian; Banks, Bronwyn; Sabo, Dylan; Alonso, Fatima; Nate, Joshua; Pegueros, Karla; Bakcha, Ouays; and Tapia Ochoa, Stephanie (2026) "Lower-Limb Lean Mass Asymmetry Ranges and Their Association With Jump Performance in Collegiate Athletes," International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 2: Iss. 18, Article 122.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol2/iss18/122