Chasing Symmetry: Inter-limb Imbalances & Performance in Youth Tennis

Practical Takeaways

• The aim of any good long-term athletic development programme is to eliminate an over-reliance on a single strategy (e.g. taking off from only the right foot from a 90-degree cut when cutting from the left leg could be more advantageous to return a shot). Practically, ensuring that coaches tally up repetitions from the right- and left-hand side of the body allows coaches to document how many CoD movements are performed on both limbs during a session. This ensures that we are doing our bit to prevent overuse injuries during closed tasks.
• According to Bishop and colleagues (see HERE), a defining factor in effective CoD performance is the range of motion at the ankle. They suggest that a greater range of motion provides enhanced stability and balance ability, which allows athletes to “bank in and out” of a movement faster. In the attached video, a host of exercises such as single-leg RDL’s, squats, box step-ups, and skater hops with reaches can be seen. These movements create a fantastic foundation for young athletes, but further, will support athletes in developing ankle range of motion in a dynamic manner. Using 2 sets x 10 reps of these exercises in a warm-up will make a huge difference over acute periods (4-6 weeks) and should help tennis performance.
• Inter-limb asymmetries will, for the most part, exist due to the natural preference of an athlete to move a certain way. High imbalances between limbs can be a strong predictor of injury but is not necessarily a reason to act immediately. For example, in the podcast below, Chris Bishop discusses that when measuring asymmetries, coaches must ensure that this is done often (every 2-4 weeks) so that the imbalance is not purely a data anomaly. Consistency, bilateral (e.g. front/back squat), and unilateral (e.g. pistol squats, reverse lunges) training are the recommendation for reducing imbalances.