The role of the dominant leg while assessing balance performance. A systematic review and meta-analysis

Good balance is a pre-requisite for various activities of daily life and sports. Physiotherapists thus regularly assess train patient’s capacities. In order to interpret the test results unilateral tests, comparison with normative data common. patients who had an injury or surgery, performance injured leg often compared non-injured leg. Nevertheless, it remains unclear if differs between dominant non- legs. If so, this should take into consideration when interpreting results. This meta-analysis summarized current evidence determine healthy adults was influenced by leg’s dominance. Articles were searched in PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Embase. Data from studies meeting pre-defined inclusion criteria extracted standardized form. A conducted using random effect model. Forty-six included. Their allocated 7 categories tests. Significant differences non-dominant legs not found any (surface stable, eyes open: −0.04, 95 % CI −0.12 0.05, surface stable closed: −0.06, −0.22 0.11, unstable, −0.15, −0.38 0.07, -0.06, −0.27 0.15, BESS (Balance Error Scoring System): 0.03, −1.09 1.14, SEBT (Star Excursion Balance Test)/YBT (Y Test): 0.06, −0.04 0.16, jump: 0.04, −0.28 0.36). Results indicate that means performances both can be used as reference. Evidence strong one stance. However, future are needed confirm our stabilization tasks after jump landing.