Morphological and functional asymmetry in (pre)adolescent elite tennis players:
a prospective cohort study on their interrelationship and association with growth, maturation, skill performance and injury
Humans generally use a preferred upper and lower extremity during daily activities. Due to repetitive uneven loading, this gradually results in morphological (e.g. increased bone and muscle mass) as well as functional (e.g. increased muscle strength) adaptations to the dominant side of the body. The corresponding morphological and functional asymmetry can be further accentuated by (intensively) practicing a unilateral sport, such as tennis. Yet, research on this topic is scarce. The main purpose of this research project is to gain comprehensive knowledge on the degree, development and implications of both morphological and functional asymmetry. As such, this research project among youth elite tennis players will provide insights to which extent morphological and/or functional asymmetry is acceptable for being most successful but remaining injury free.