The Research of Symmetry and Asymmetry in Biomechanics
A special issue of Symmetry (ISSN 2073-8994). This special issue belongs to the section "E: Life Sciences".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 390
Editors
Interests: sports science; human movement biomechanics; functional assessment; wearable sensors
Interests: biomechanical analysis; rehabilitation; artificial intelligence; machine learning applications; sports biomechanics; injury risk and performance indicators; numerical simulation
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
From the alternating gait pattern to the unilateral dominance observed in throwing and cutting sports, human movement reflects a complex interplay between symmetry and task-driven functional asymmetry.
Nowadays, technological advances in wearable devices, motion capture, musculoskeletal modeling, and machine learning enable researchers to quantify and interpret these phenomena with increasing accuracy. However, open questions remain: what thresholds separate functional adaptive asymmetry from pathological deviation? How are new interlimb coordination patterns learned? When should clinical and sport interventions aim to restore symmetry, and when should they accommodate, or even encourage, functional asymmetry for performance and safety? How can symmetry be quantified across different populations and according to sport background, motor history, and current lifestyle?
This Special Issue aims to bring together and present original research and comprehensive reviews that explore the measurement, interpretation, and application of symmetry and asymmetry across all domains of biomechanics. We invite contributions that investigate these phenomena in healthy populations, aging, clinical conditions (such as osteoarthritis, stroke, ACL injury, and scoliosis), sport performance, and Paralympic disciplines.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Kinetic and kinematic symmetry indices in gait and running;
- Interlimb asymmetries in strength, power, and motor control;
- Biomechanical adaptations to unilateral loading and repetitive motion;
- Asymmetry as a risk factor for musculoskeletal injury;
- Neuromechanical mechanisms underlying laterality and dominance;
- Computational modeling of asymmetric loading in joints and implants;
- Methodological advances in quantifying symmetry (e.g., statistical, machine learning approaches, definition of parameters or protocols aimed at determining symmetry in a reproducible way);
- Rehabilitation strategies targeting symmetry restoration vs. compensation;
- Paralympic sports.
Dr. Lucio Caprioli
Dr. Beatrice De Lazzari
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Symmetry is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- biomechanics
- motor control
- symmetry
- asymmetry
- interlimb coordination
- gait analysis
- injury prevention
- sports biomechanics
- musculoskeletal modeling
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