Differences in Anterior Knee Laxity and Genu Recurvatum Between Dominant and Non-Dominant Legs in Healthy College Students

Background: The non-dominant leg has been associated with higher risk of knee injury due to biomechanical and sensorimotor asymmetry compared to the dominant leg. Anterior knee laxity (AKL) and genu recurvatum have been identified as a leading risk factors for serious knee injuries. However, the difference in AKL and GR between the dominant and non-dominant knees remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the leg dominance difference in AKL and GR (knee hyperextension). It was hypothesized that the dominant leg would have lower AKL and genu recurvatum values than non-dominant leg. Methods: Thirty-two healthy and physically active right leg dominant individuals volunteered to participate in this study (Table 1). AKL was measured using GNRB knee arthrometer (Figure 1), and genu recurvatum was assessed using a goniometer (Figure 2). A paired T-test compared AKL and genu recurvatum between the dominant and non-dominant legs. Results indicated a significant difference in genu recurvatum between the dominant (M = 5.19 ; SD = .67) (Table 2) non-dominant leg (M = 6.53; SD = .75; t(31) = -3.29, p = .002). However, no significant difference was found in AKL between the legs (t(31) = 1.18, p = 0.25). Secondary analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between genu recurvatum and AKL in left leg (r(30) = .414, p = .018), suggesting that greater hyperextension may be associated with increased AKL in the non-dominant leg. Conclusion: These findings indicate a significantly higher incidence of genu recurvatum in the non-dominant leg, potentially linking leg dominance and increased injury risk. However, further studies with larger sample sizes and controlled activity levels are needed to better understand the impact of anterior knee laxity (AKL) and genu recurvatum on injury rates in both legs.