SPRINT KAYAKER’S KINETIC ASYMMETRIES AT INCREASING STROKE RATES

Kinetic movement asymmetries are known to affect factors of performance, increase the likelihood of injury, and to decrease with increased cadences. The aim of this study was to determine if stroke rate affects asymmetry indexes (ASI) in the kayak ergometer footboards and seat. A significant main effect of stroke rate was found on footboard mediolateral total stroke cycle impulse (TSI) ASI (p\u3c0.005) where asymmetry index increased with stroke rate, footboard anteroposterior TSI ASI (p\u3c0.005) where an inverted U-shaped relationship was found with stroke rate, and footboard roll total stroke cycle angular impulse (TSAI) ASI (p\u3c0.001) where an inverted U-shaped relationship was found with stroke rate, and seat mediolateral TSI ASI (p\u3c0.05) where it decreased with stroke rate. The results of this study show that footboard and seat lateral forces counteract each other

FOOTBOARD AND SEAT KINETIC CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH STROKE RATE ON A KAYAK ERGOMETER

The purpose of this study was to determine if stroke rate effects anteroposterior, lateral, and vertical forces on the kayak’s footboard and seat. Participants (n=10), with a year or more of competitive kayaking experience, completed four 30-second trials on a kayak ergometer at different stroke rates (60 strokes per minute (spm), 80 spm, 100 spm, and maximum spm). Mean force, impulse, and impulse*stroke rate were identified for the footboards, and seat, separately within each trial (ten single strokes). Interestingly, both anteroposterior and lateral axes kinetic adaptations to stroke rate occurred on the left footboard whereas the right footboard presented only lateral adaptations