The Magnitude of Inter-limb Asymmetry and Its Assocation with Inter-limb Asymmetry in Distance Runners and Non-runners

Inclusion criteria

• • Being aged between 20 and 50 years at Tfamiliarization

• Being free from any medical attention injury (i.e., injury that results in a participant receiving medical attention) for at least 6 months upon Tfamiliarization
• Speaking Dutch, French or English
• Highly trained distance runners:

• Running at least 150km per month for at least 3 months

Moderately-trained runners:

• Running between 40 - 150 km per month for at least 6 months

• Novice distance runners:
• Running not more than 10km per week for the past 12 months

• Control group of non-athletes
• Performing <75min of systematic moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activity per week and having no experience in systematic (un)structured running activities for the past 5 years

Exclusion criteria

• • Being younger than 20 years or older than 50 years at Tfamiliarization

• Any known relevant medical history or current condition (e.g., neurological diseases, inner ear diseases) that could affect the performance of the functional tests (e.g., balance in repeated hop tests)
• Participants that have undergone a surgery at lower limb level during the past 6 months
• Medication or drug use (e.g., blood pressure medicines)that could affect the performance of the functional tests (e.g., balance in repeated hop tests)
• Participants performing more than two hours per week of unilateral sports (e.g., tennis or soccer)