Multidirectional demands in team sports emphasise eccentric hamstring strength, as the hamstrings play a critical role in modulating ground reaction forces during deceleration and change of direction (COD). A common method to assess limb asymmetry is the Nordic Hamstring Exercise (NHE), an eccentric movement which derives metrics such as maximum force and impulse which are associated with improved linear acceleration in team-sport athletes. The primary aim was to examine how NHE-derived symmetries and limb differences influence COD sprint performance metrics. Forty-six university-level athletes (28 males, 18 females; age 20.37 ± 1.47 years) underwent 30-m linear and COD sprints, alongside bilateral NHE on the VALD Nordbord measuring maximum force, average force, and impulse. Non-parametric data were analysed using ART followed by general linear models in SPSS, with fixed factors of symmetry grouping, limb, and direction (for directional metrics) and a significance of p < .05. No significant effects or interactions emerged for symmetry grouping across metrics including MDSA area, area percentage, acceleration, directional velocity and directional acceleration, and NHE forces and impulse. Limb grouping showed significant effects on area percentage (p = .02; left higher) and maximum force (p = .05; right higher), while directional grouping revealed highly significant effects (p < .001) with sharper angles yielding lower acceleration and velocity. These findings suggest NHE symmetries do not substantially influence COD performance in this cohort, whereas limb-specific differences influence area percentage and maximum force, and sharper turn angles substantially reduce acceleration and velocity.
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