Well, I guess I don't know what this so-called 'default position' is then. I just assumed it was the D-pad position because of the way you seemed to use it, but it's definitely not intuitively clear to me what position that is supposed to be.

Left thumb aches after a while using asymmetrical.

Yeah, kind of weird perspective IMHO, seeming to assume Sony achieved ergonomic perfection in pre-analog stick era, and that dictated hand position forever. I don't know why one would assume eternal unchanging hand position as reference point for stress analysis, rather than actual immediate hand position, which could change between various generations (even within post-analog stick era, angles of grips can change).

Seems pretty clear to me that with semi-fixed grip i.e. hand position, movement of thumb i.e. toward index finger naturally also moves towards palm, while moving towards middle of hand naturally increases distance from palm... So movement between bottom stick(higher elevation from controller)/upper buttons(low elevation from controller) is low effort movement, that lets multiple muscles work together with less individual effort. If you reverse that to have bottom buttoms(low elevation from controller)/upper stick (high elevation from controller) that becomes high effort movement especially when grip is relatively static, also tending to depend on isolated single muscle actions.

Anyhow, seems like if there was functional ergonimic problem with Sony's layout it would objectively manifest in higher repetitive strain rates... And by higher, that would need to be higher than it's 2.4:1 higher market share would normally predict. Sony players should be disproportionately complaining of such things independent of "comparitive" pro/con opinions to Xbox layout (which many Playstation gamers don't really much experience with, so may never directly consider in first place). I don't really see that, yet I do see significant amount of complaitns from Xbox side, even if it's not couched in "comparitive" perspective to Sony layout (which again, many Xbox gamers may not have much direct experience with).

They changed, became more comfortable to use. When I go back to the ps2 controller they feel much less comfortable to use.

Anyway I got my 'proof' today. I've been playing way too much GT Sport lately, two of my favorite combos on back to back (weekly rotation). My left thumb is perfectly fine (steering), right thumb is starting to ache (face buttons for shifting). So for me, the sticks are in a better position than the buttons. Since the only option is to have the left stick higher, symmetrical versions are the better versions for me.

VERY surprised to see the results essentially favour the Xbox controller style given the ratio of fans on the site.

To me anyway, I always felt the asymmetrical style is more ergonomic and feels right. Symmetrical style to me seems less then comfortable

Erm Nintendo has asymmetrical controllers as well ;)

Since the Gamecube actually, it's Nintendo controller style...

Wii U had symmetrical sticks, as did the Wii Pro controller.

Of their dual analogue systems, two are symmetrical, and two are not. 

Yep, the sticks were at the top though on both sides.

I've never really liked Nintendo controllers nor their insistence to keep control of the camera away from you. However their games are just too good to let minor details get in the way :)

The sticks were on the bottom on Wii.

Oh wow my bad. Ya makes sense, lot of Nintendo fans here