Large Asymmetric Hypertrophy of Rectus Abdominis Muscle in Professional Tennis Players

Abstract

PurposeTo determine the volume and degree of asymmetry of the musculus rectus abdominis (RA) in professional tennis players.MethodsThe volume of the RA was determined using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 8 professional male tennis players and 6 non-active male control subjects.ResultsTennis players had 58% greater RA volume than controls (P = 0.01), due to hypertrophy of both the dominant (34% greater volume, P = 0.02) and non-dominant (82% greater volume, P = 0.01) sides, after accounting for age, the length of the RA muscle and body mass index (BMI) as covariates. In tennis players, there was a marked asymmetry in the development of the RA, which volume was 35% greater in the non-dominant compared to the dominant side (P<0.001). In contrast, no side-to-side difference in RA volume was observed in the controls (P = 0.75). The degree of side-to-side asymmetry increased linearly from the first lumbar disc to the pubic symphysis (r = 0.97, P<0.001).ConclusionsProfessional tennis is associated with marked hypertrophy of the musculus rectus abdominis, which achieves a volume that is 58% greater than in non-active controls. Rectus abdominis hypertrophy is more marked in the non-dominant than in the dominant side, particularly in the more distal regions. Our study supports the concept that humans can differentially recruit both rectus abdominis but also the upper and lower regions of each muscle. It remains to be determined if this disequilibrium raises the risk of injury.

Lateral Asymmetry in Upper and Lower Limb Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis in Youth Tennis Players

“…This result is in line with previous conclusions Sanchis-Moysi et al, 2010a, 2010cYamada et al). Brosseau et al conclude that in side-to-side comparisons the dominant arm lean mass was 6-8 % greater than the non-dominant arm.…”

“…Yamada et al, conclude that tennis players in particular have a remarkably greater ratio of dominant as compared to non-dominant lean mass in the upper arms (12.54±5.88 %) and forearms (10.38±4.35 %). Sanchis-Moysi et al (2010a, 2010c found in two studies that inter-arm asymmetry in lean mass is even higher and amounts to 12-15 %, which is connected with an increase of muscle volume in the dominant arm compared to the nondominant arm as a result of hypertrophy of loaded muscle groups (deltoid, triceps brachii, arm flexors and forearm superficial flexor muscles) during the execution of tennis strokes. This is particularly the case with all forehand shots and with serving.…”

“…During every tennis stroke, the arm that holds the racket is only the last link of a kinetic chain involving the sequential activation of the trunk muscles to cause trunk rotation and flexion movements to facilitate the transfer moment from the legs and trunk to the arm and the racket (Elliott, 2006). More pronounced use of the tennis player's dominant side of the body causes many changes: muscle hypertrophy in specific body parts (Rogowski et al, 2008;Sanchis-Moysi et al, 2010a, 2010b, 2010c, muscle strength (Ireland et al, 2013;Sanchís-Moysi et al, 2010c) and flexibility (Okudaira et al, 2012;Oyama et al, 2008), muscle fibre type (Sanchís-Moysi et al, 2010c), bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (Sanchis-Moysi et al, 2010a, 2010b. Different methods have been used to analyse body composition (Filipcic et al, 2008;Pradas de la Fuente, 2013) and identify tennis players' asymmetries: traditional anthropometric measurements, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 3D body scanner and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA).…”

“…Researchers have found significant side-to-side differences between dominant and non-dominant body sides and pointed out that such imbalance raises the risk of injury (Oyama et al;Sanchis-Moysi et al, 2010a, 2010cSannicandro et al, 2014). Such differences are not only significant for tennis, but also sports which are supposed to be symmetrical e.g artistic gymnastics (Cuk et al, 2012).…”

The hypertrophy of the lateral abdominal wall andquadratus lumborumis sport-specific: an MRI segmental study in professional tennis and soccer players

“…Tennis and soccer induce the asymmetric hypertrophy of several trunk and leg muscles (Masuda et al, 2003;Sanchis-Moysi et al, 2010Idoate et al, 2011). The muscles of the lateral abdominal wall (OT: external oblique, internal oblique, and transversus abdominis) and quadratus lumborum (QL) play an important role during kicking and tennis strokes (Raty et al, 1999;Chow et al, 2009).…”