Limb Symmetry in Healthy Uninjured Athletes

Nearly one in four athletes returning to sports after primary ACL reconstruction (ACLR) sustains a second ACL injury. Even after clearance to return to sport (RTS), many athletes continue to exhibit limb asymmetries, measured by the limb symmetry index (LSI). Traditionally, an LSI above 90% is used as a threshold for assessing RTS readiness post-ACLR, particularly in strength and functional hop tests. However, this criterion does not account for individual factors such as age, sex, athletic exposure, or load symmetry in other activities like landing, walking, running, or squatting.

Our study aims to address this gap by analyzing differences in load symmetry in healthy, uninjured athletes during different functional tasks based on age, sex, activity level, and athletic exposure. We will compare these findings with an equivalent ACLR cohort to identify therapeutic targets for ACL rehabilitation.

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