Asymmetries: When They’re Normal vs. When They Become a Risk Factor

Asymmetries: When They’re Normal vs. When They Become a Risk Factor

From Movement Podcast by Gray Cook and Dr. Lee Burton

February 5, 2026 · 51 min · Season 7 · Episode 91

About this episode

The episode discusses the different types of asymmetries and their implications for performance and injury risk.

Asymmetries are normal — but not all asymmetries are created equal. In this episode of the Movement Podcast, Gray Cook and Lee Burton break down the difference between anatomical, functional, and developmental asymmetry, and explain when asymmetry becomes a slippery slope that impacts performance, durability, and injury risk. They also discuss why the goal isn’t “perfect symmetry,” but keeping asymmetries from getting worse, and how movement screening helps coaches and clinicians make smarte...

People in this episode

Hosts: Gray Cook, Dr. Lee Burton

Topics covered

  • asymmetries
  • anatomical asymmetry
  • functional asymmetry
  • developmental asymmetry
  • performance
  • injury risk

Keywords

  • asymmetry
  • performance
  • durability
  • injury risk
  • movement screening

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