Limb Dominance Does Not Affect Single-Leg Hop Performance in Non-Injured Young Athletes

Background: The concept of leg dominance is important in clinical settings. Single-leg hop (SLH) tests are frequently used to assess injury-risk and guide return-to-sport decision after lower-limb injury, yet the influence of limb dominance on SLH performance in non-injured young athletes remains unclear. The aim of the study was to examine the influence of limb dominance on SLH test performance in young healthy athletes, and to explore the relationships among different types of SLH tests. Methods: Forty-seven healthy collegiate athletes (mean age 21.44 ± 3.5 years; 26 males and 21 females) completed three SLH tests: single hop for distance (SHD), triple hop for distance (THD), and crossover hop for distance (CHD). Paired sample t-tests were used to compare performance between the dominant and non-dominant limbs. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to determine the relationship among the three SLH tests for each limb. Results: No significant differences were observed between dominant and non-dominant limbs in SHD, THD, and CHD performance (p > 0.05). Effect sizes ranged from 0.01 to 0.26, indicating small to negligible effects. Strong positive correlations were found among all three SLH tests for both limbs (r range = 0.88–0.94; p = .001–.005). Conclusion: Limb dominance does not appear to influence SLH tests performance in healthy young athletes, and the strong correlations among SLH test types suggest overlapping assessment of lower-limb function. Therefore, either limb may be used as a reference in SLH testing for injury-risk assessment, performance monitoring, and return-to-sport decision-making.