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Symmetry
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Symmetry Application in Motor Control in Sports and Rehabilitation
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Symmetry Application in Motor Control in Sports and Rehabilitation

A special issue of Symmetry (ISSN 2073-8994). This special issue belongs to the section "Life Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 12628

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Arthur Ferreira

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centro Universitário Augusto Motta, Rua Dona Isabel 94, Bonsucesso, Rio de Janeiro 21032-060, RJ, Brazil
Interests: biomechanics; signal processing; physiotherapy; rehabilitation
Prof. Dr. Fabio Vieira dos Anjos

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
Centro Universitário Augusto Motta, Rua Dona Isabel 94, Bonsucesso, Rio de Janeiro 21032-060, RJ, Brazil
Interests: motor control; postural control; rehabilitation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Symmetry is a core yet controversial concept in health sciences, and entangles many disciplines ranging from anatomy to pathophysiology, with relevant clinical applications in two main branches of healthcare—diagnostics and therapeutics.

In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in investigating the role of symmetry regarding biomechanical or functional aspects of people with health conditions affecting the nervous and musculoskeletal systems. Albeit easily recognized using subjective methods, the objective quantification of body (as)symmetry—be it structural or functional—is still challenging. The effects of symmetry (e.g., body posture alignment, sidedness, bodyweight distribution and muscle activity) on the postural control, activities of daily living and sports performance is poorly understood, and to what extent are interventions for primary, secondary or tertiary care targeting the body symmetry able to prevent injuries or promote a functional improvement? This question highlights the promising research topics in the field.

The aim of the present Special Issue is to emphasize the phenomena related to symmetry applications in biomechanics, sports and rehabilitation.

We solicit contributions (research and review articles) covering a broad range of topics regarding the symmetry application in motor control, biomechanics, sports and rehabilitation, including, though not limited to, the following:

  • The assessment of symmetry and its clinical relevance;
  • Body symmetry and the performance of activities of daily living;
  • Olympic, Paralympic and recreational sport performance and symmetry;
  • Symmetry and sports injury prevention;
  • Fall prevention and symmetry in postural alignment, bodyweight distribution and muscle activity;
  • Role of sidedness, handedness and footedness in motor control;
  • Effects of clinical interventions on symmetry in people with neurologic or musculoskeletal conditions.

Prof. Dr. Arthur Ferreira 
Prof. Dr. Fabio Vieira dos Anjos 
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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-blind 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

  • assessment of symmetry and its clinical relevance
  • body symmetry and the performance of activities of daily living
  • sports performance and symmetry
  • symmetry and sports injury prevention
  • fall prevention and symmetry in postural alignment and bodyweight distribution
  • role of sidedness, handedness, and footedness in motor control
  • effects of clinical interventions on symmetry in people with neurologic or musculoskeletal conditions

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  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 1603 KiB  
Article
Asymmetry in the Alignment of School Furniture and Anthropometric Measures: A Comparative Study Between Two Schools in Spain and Portugal
by Adrián Paramés-González, Alfonso Gutiérrez-Santiago, Agostinho Fernandes, Ana Cristina Braga, Nélson Costa, Paula Carneiro, Xoana Reguera-López-de-la-Osa and Iván Prieto-Lage
Symmetry 2024, 16(12), 1588; https://doi.org/10.3390/sym16121588 - 28 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1343
Abstract
Background: School ergonomics is a subject of growing interest for the scientific community due to the health problems that it is associated with in students, mainly asymmetries in the spine due to the use of chairs and desks that are inadequate for their [...] Read more.
Background: School ergonomics is a subject of growing interest for the scientific community due to the health problems that it is associated with in students, mainly asymmetries in the spine due to the use of chairs and desks that are inadequate for their anthropometry. This study aimed to analyze the anthropometric characteristics and asymmetries among fifth- to ninth-grade students in Spain and Portugal, with the goal of obtaining data on the ideal height of seats and desks. Additionally, it evaluated the correspondence in the recommended sizes of chairs and desks according to the parameters of the European Union catalog and examined the suitability of the height as a criterion for the allocation of school furniture. Methods: Different anthropometric variables, including the height, popliteal height, shoulder-to-seat height, and elbow-to-seat height, were measured in a stratified sample of 500 students (mean age = 12.7 years, SD = 1.2) across different grades (fifth grade = 86, sixth grade = 106, seventh grade = 95, eighth grade = 89, ninth grade = 124), genders (males = 256, females = 244), and countries (Spain = 191, Portugal = 309). These measurements were used to calculate the average ideal seat and desk heights based on anthropometric formulas, which were then compared to the current furniture allocation practices. The statistical analyses included t-tests, chi-squared tests, and effect sizes, with adjustments for multiple comparisons. Results: The results revealed significant asymmetries and low correspondence in the allocation of chairs and desks of the same sizes to students, with a match rate ranging between 40% and 70%. Moreover, the correspondence was even lower when using a formula based solely on height, compared to formulas validated with specific anthropometric measures, particularly for desks, where the asymmetries reached 100% in some grades. Conclusion: These findings highlight the need to improve the adaptation of school furniture to optimize student ergonomics and comfort, and they suggest disregarding the height as the primary criterion for furniture allocation. Additionally, assigning a desk size based on the recommended chair size is discouraged. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Symmetry Application in Motor Control in Sports and Rehabilitation)
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13 pages, 855 KiB  
Article
The Magnitude of Temporal–Spatial Gait Asymmetry Is Related to the Proficiency of Dynamic Balance Control in Children with Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy: An Analytical Inquiry
by Ragab K. Elnaggar
Symmetry 2024, 16(10), 1274; https://doi.org/10.3390/sym16101274 - 27 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1060
Abstract
Children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (hemi-CP) frequently experience deficits in dynamic balance, a crucial factor influencing gait function. This imbalance can manifest as temporal–spatial gait asymmetry, where movement patterns differ between the affected and less affected sides. This study investigated how temporal–spatial gait [...] Read more.
Children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (hemi-CP) frequently experience deficits in dynamic balance, a crucial factor influencing gait function. This imbalance can manifest as temporal–spatial gait asymmetry, where movement patterns differ between the affected and less affected sides. This study investigated how temporal–spatial gait asymmetries and dynamic balance are associated in children with hemi-CP. Eighty-five children with hemi-CP (age: 13.27 ± 1.72 years) were included. The temporal (AITemporal) and spatial (AISpatial) gait asymmetry indices were, respectively, computed with reference to the swing time and step length of affected and less affected sides, which were collected through a 3D gait analysis. Measures of dynamic balance included the directional dynamic limit-of-stability (D-LOSdirectional) assessed across multiple directions (forward, rearward, affected, and less affected) and the overall dynamic limit-of-stability (D-LOSoverall) during static stance, in addition to the heel-to-heel base of support (BOSH-to-H) during walking, the dynamic gait index (DynGI), and the Timed Up and Down Stair (TUDS) test.The D-LOSoverall correlated negatively with the temporal (r = −0.437, p < 0.001) and spatial (r = −0.279, p = 0.009) asymmetries. The D-LOSdirectional (forward, rearward, affected, and less affected) correlated negatively with temporal asymmetry (r ranged from −0.219 to −0.411, all p < 0.05), but only the D-LOSdirectional rearward (r = −0.325, p = 0.002) and less affected (r = −0.216, p = 0.046) correlated with spatial asymmetry. The BOSH-to-H correlated positively with both temporal (r = 0.694, p < 0.001) and spatial (r = 0.503, p < 0.001) asymmetries. The variation in D-LOSoverall and BOSH-to-H accounted for 19.1% and 48.2%, respectively, of the variations in the temporal asymmetry and 7.8% and 25.3% of the variations in the spatial asymmetry. The findings of this study suggest that dynamic balance control is related to the magnitude of temporal–spatial gait asymmetries in children with hemi-CP. This evidence lays the groundwork for further research into the mechanism linking gait asymmetry and dynamic balance, potentially leading to a deeper understanding of these impairments, while also highlighting the need for longitudinal studies with the inclusion of a broader population to enhance the generalizability of the findings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Symmetry Application in Motor Control in Sports and Rehabilitation)
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10 pages, 925 KiB  
Article
Association of Core Muscle Endurance with Weekly Workout Time, Speed, and the Symmetry of Frontal Core Motion during Indoor Walking and Cycling
by Ju-Hyun Park, Ae-Ryeong Kim, Si-Hyun Kim, Kwang Bok Kim and Kyue-Nam Park
Symmetry 2022, 14(11), 2333; https://doi.org/10.3390/sym14112333 - 7 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2554
Abstract
This study investigated the factors that influence core muscle endurance, i.e., the symmetry of frontal core motion during indoor walking and cycling, the symmetry of lateral core muscle endurance, the symmetry of the hip abductor strength, the weekly workout time and fast walking [...] Read more.
This study investigated the factors that influence core muscle endurance, i.e., the symmetry of frontal core motion during indoor walking and cycling, the symmetry of lateral core muscle endurance, the symmetry of the hip abductor strength, the weekly workout time and fast walking and cycling speeds, while controlling for gender. Seventy-nine healthy young adults participated in this study. In a regression analysis, the core muscle endurance time was the dependent variable. The independent variables were the symmetry of frontal core motion (measured using a wireless earbud sensor during walking and cycling), the symmetry of side plank time and of hip abductor strength, the weekly workout time and fast walking and cycling speeds. In the multiple regression analysis, weekly workout time, fast walking speed, symmetry of frontal core motion during fast cycling and symmetry of lateral side plank time predicted core muscle endurance (adjusted R2 = 0.42). Thus, clinicians and fitness personnel should consider the association of core muscle endurance with the symmetry of frontal core motion during cycling and the symmetry of side plank holding time, as well as with the weekly workout time and a fast walking speed, when designing core muscle exercise programmes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Symmetry Application in Motor Control in Sports and Rehabilitation)
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12 pages, 728 KiB  
Article
Is Asymmetry Different Depending on How It Is Calculated?
by Mario Iglesias-Caamaño, Tania Álvarez-Yates, Javier Carballo-López, Alba Cuba-Dorado and Óscar García-García
Symmetry 2022, 14(10), 2195; https://doi.org/10.3390/sym14102195 - 19 Oct 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2546
Abstract
This study aimed to (1) determine the magnitude and direction of asymmetry in volleyball players, (2) establish asymmetry thresholds, and (3) explore differences depending on the test used and the players’ category. Twenty-nine junior and senior male volleyball players were assessed through a [...] Read more.
This study aimed to (1) determine the magnitude and direction of asymmetry in volleyball players, (2) establish asymmetry thresholds, and (3) explore differences depending on the test used and the players’ category. Twenty-nine junior and senior male volleyball players were assessed through a muscle asymmetry battery test: active knee extension test (AKE), single-leg countermovement jump (SL-CMJ), single-leg squat jump (SL-SJ), triple hop test for distance (THTD), modified 20-yard shuttle run, Y-balance test, single-leg one-repetition maximum in leg press test (1RM-SL), and lateral symmetry in radial muscle belly displacement through Tensiomyography in the biceps femoris and rectus femoris. A two-way ANOVA alongside an individual analysis of asymmetry thresholds was used to analyze the test and categorize the influence on the magnitude and the direction of asymmetry. The 1RM-SL, SL-SJ, and the lateral symmetry in radial muscle belly displacement showed a clear asymmetry towards the non-dominant side, while the AKE, SL-CMJ, and THTD showed an asymmetry towards the dominant side. The magnitude of the asymmetry was highly variable between tests (1.46–30.26%). The individualized asymmetry thresholds revealed that the percentage of asymmetrical players varied depending on the type of test used. In conclusion, the type of test used determines the magnitude and direction of asymmetry in well-trained volleyball players. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Symmetry Application in Motor Control in Sports and Rehabilitation)
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6 pages, 247 KiB  
Article
Born to Score? The Relationship between Left-Handedness and Success from the 7-Meter Line
by Aron Laxdal, Andreas Ivarsson, Sveinn Thorgeirsson and Tommy Haugen
Symmetry 2022, 14(10), 2163; https://doi.org/10.3390/sym14102163 - 15 Oct 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3500
Abstract
An asymmetry in the prevalence of left-handedness vs. right-handedness in society has supposedly resulted in negative frequency-dependent advantages for left-handers in interactive sports. The aim of this study was to test whether these advantages apply to handball by examining whether being left-handed is [...] Read more.
An asymmetry in the prevalence of left-handedness vs. right-handedness in society has supposedly resulted in negative frequency-dependent advantages for left-handers in interactive sports. The aim of this study was to test whether these advantages apply to handball by examining whether being left-handed is beneficial when executing 7 m shots, a highly unimanual movement. All 1,625 7 m shots at the men’s 2016–2022 European championships were analyzed using a Bayesian two-level analysis. While the results did not indicate that left-handers were more likely to score from any single 7 m shot, left-handers were overrepresented among the designated shooters compared to both the population as a whole (38% vs. 11.6%) and left-handers on any given handball team (38% vs. 25%). The implication here was that handedness plays no role in the outcome of 7 m shots at the world-class level, but handedness does appear to play a role in who becomes a world-class 7 m shooter. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Symmetry Application in Motor Control in Sports and Rehabilitation)
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