Asymmetrical lower-limb injury risk during the volleyball spike jump of male elite volleyball players

Background: Repetitive high-intensity spike jumps (SPJs) impose substantial mechanical loading on the lower limbs and are associated with overuse and acute injuries, such as patellar tendinopathy, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, and lateral ankle sprain. Asymmetries between the dominant leg (DL) and non-dominant leg (N-DL) during take-off may create leg-specific loading profiles. This study examined how each limb generates and transfers mechanical energy during the take-off phase of the SPJ. Methods: Eleven male collegiate volleyball athletes performed SPJs while three-dimensional lower-limb joint power was analyzed during take-off. Total energy generation and inter-joint energy transfer were quantified separately for the DL and N-DL. Results: The DL generated significantly more total energy (p = 0.002, d = 1.27), initiated production earlier, and maintained energy generation for a longer duration. In contrast, the N-DL transferred significantly more energy through the hip, knee, and ankle joints (p = 0.005, d = −1.08). Despite these magnitude differences, both limbs exhibited similar relative hip, knee, and ankle contribution patterns, indicating a coordinated bilateral strategy to produce vertical impulse and stabilize take-off. Conclusions: Greater knee and ankle extensor output in the DL may increase exposure to loading patterns associated with patellar tendinopathy and Achilles tendon overload, whereas the N-DL’s larger horizontal-to-vertical energy transfer may increase exposure to ACL-related knee loading and lateral ankle sprain mechanisms. These findings support limb-specific preventative strategies (e.g., eccentric strengthening for the DL and neuromuscular control training for the N-DL) to manage SPJ loading demands.