title: Comparison of tensiomyographic neuromuscular characteristics between muscles of the dominant and non-dominant lower extremity in male soccer players.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Tensiomyography (TMG) has been used to assess neuromuscular characteristics of muscles of the lower extremity in soccer players. However, the effects of lower extremity dominance on TMG characteristics in this population have not been reported to date. The purpose of this study was to compare the TMG neuromuscular characteristics between the dominant and non-dominant lower extremity in male soccer players.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-eight consecutive healthy male soccer players underwent resting TMG assessment of vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis (VL), rectus femoris (RF), semitendinosus (ST), biceps femoris (BF), gastrocnemius medialis (GM), and gastrocnemius lateralis (GL) in both lower extremities. The maximal displacement, delay time, contraction time, sustained time, and half-relaxation time were obtained and compared between both sides.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences in the vast majority of the TMG parameters between both lower extremities. The dominant side demonstrated higher VM contraction time (p = 0.008), RF sustained time (p = 0.009), RF half-relaxation time (p = 0.01), and BF sustained time (p = 0.04), but lower VL contraction time (p = 0.03) and VL delay time (p = 0.02) compared to the non-dominant side.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In general, TMG-assessed neuromuscular characteristics of the VM, VL, RF, ST, BF, GM, and GL were not affected by lower extremity dominance in male soccer players. Therefore, there is no need to assess both sides when using TMG to monitor the response to training or muscles at risk of injury in soccer players unless there is a specific reason.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prognostic study, Level II.
authors.affiliation: Mutualidad de Futbolistas - Federación Española de Fútbol, Delegación Cataluña, Ronda Sant Pere 19-21, 08010, Barcelona, Spain. dr.pedroalvarezdiaz@gmail.com.|Fundación García-Cugat, Barcelona, Spain. dr.pedroalvarezdiaz@gmail.com.|Artroscopia gc, S.L., Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital Quirón, Barcelona, Spain. dr.pedroalvarezdiaz@gmail.com.|Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain. dr.pedroalvarezdiaz@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alvarez-Diaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology. Parc de Salut Mar, Hospital de Mar and Hospital de l'Esperança, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Eduard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alentorn-Geli
authors.affiliation: Fundación García-Cugat, Barcelona, Spain.|Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain.|Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Hospital Quirón, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramon
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Hospital Quirón, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marin
authors.affiliation: Mutualidad de Futbolistas - Federación Española de Fútbol, Delegación Cataluña, Ronda Sant Pere 19-21, 08010, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Gilbert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Steinbacher
authors.affiliation: Mutualidad de Futbolistas - Federación Española de Fútbol, Delegación Cataluña, Ronda Sant Pere 19-21, 08010, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rius
authors.affiliation: Fundación García-Cugat, Barcelona, Spain.|Artroscopia gc, S.L., Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital Quirón, Barcelona, Spain.|Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Seijas
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ballester
authors.affiliation: Mutualidad de Futbolistas - Federación Española de Fútbol, Delegación Cataluña, Ronda Sant Pere 19-21, 08010, Barcelona, Spain.|Fundación García-Cugat, Barcelona, Spain.|Artroscopia gc, S.L., Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital Quirón, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Ramon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cugat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004576:Electromyography; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D012916:Soccer / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Dominance; Male soccer; Muscle; Neuromuscular; Tensiomyography