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Abstract
Issues of high levels of muscular asymmetry have been associated with injury risk, and therefore have potential implications for decremental performance at the elite sport level. The aim of this current study was to assess the relationship between the segmental fluid distribution and the paddle grip in elite male and female slalom kayakers and canoeists. Eighty-four world-cup competitors (61 males and 23 females) took part in the study. Impedance analysis was used to assess segmental fluid asymmetry. The effect of paddle grip (loose/fixed hand in kayakers, lower/upper hand in canoeists), morphological dominance (dominant/non-dominant) and discipline (canoe/kayak) were evaluated by repeated measures ANOVA. The findings indicated a significant effect of paddle grip in canoeists on morphological asymmetry in upper limbs (arm of lower paddle hand mean fluid distribution 3.28, s=0.43 litres; arm of upper paddle hand mean fluid distribution 3.19, s=0.41 litres; P=0.000, =0.33). The sternmen demonstrated higher asymmetry between the arms of upper and lower paddle hand (mean 0.11, s=0.04 litres, P=0.000,
=0.80) than the bowmen (mean 0.04, s=0.06 litres, P=0.015,
=0.44) in double-canoes. Significant morphological asymmetry was found also in kayakers but the effect of paddle grip was not substantial. The use of segmental impedance analysis may be a suitable diagnostic tool for assessing morphological changes, which can be related to paddling training. Likewise muscular asymmetry is associated with injury risk; the evaluation of morphological changes during the training process may be considered by sport trainers and physical therapists.