Abstract
In sport sailing, performance is related to the sailor’s ability to maintain the stability of the boat, and the boat class determines the variables involved in such ability. In monohull-type vessels, such as the Optimist and Laser classes, the flexibility of the hip joint is a key performance factor. In the Windsurfing class, performance is determined by the strength of the flexors of the fingers and elbows. The performance of the sailor may be affected by asymmetries in the strength and flexibility of the muscles and joints involved in technical actions. The objective of this study was to evaluate asymmetries in strength and flexibility in young sailors. Thirty-three young sailors (ten girls) from the Windsurfing, Optimist and Laser classes were assessed for manual strength and flexibility, by dynamometry and straight leg lift tests, respectively. The symmetry index and the functional asymmetry of compression force were calculated. The results showed no differences between sailors according to gender. The sailors of the Laser class obtained the highest levels of manual strength, whereas those of the Windsurfing class showed the highest flexibility levels. The girls’ group and Windsurfing class had the highest percentage of sailors with strength asymmetry, whereas, the sailors of the Optimist class presented a greater percentage of asymmetry in flexibility. There were no differences in upper limb strength and lower limb flexibility between the dominant and non-dominant sides.
Highlights
IntroductionIn monohull-type vessels, such as those belonging to the Optimist and Laser classes, the stability of the vessel is conditioned by the time taken by the sailor to perform the maneuvers
Performance in sport sailing is directly related to the sailor’s ability to overcome the external forces produced by the boat and maintain the stability of the boat [1].In monohull-type vessels, such as those belonging to the Optimist and Laser classes, the stability of the vessel is conditioned by the time taken by the sailor to perform the maneuvers
There were no differences in upper limb strength and lower limb flexibility between the dominant and non-dominant sides
Summary
In monohull-type vessels, such as those belonging to the Optimist and Laser classes, the stability of the vessel is conditioned by the time taken by the sailor to perform the maneuvers. If such time increases, the time required to stabilize the boat increases, which reduces its speed and, the sailor’s performance [2]. Having greater flexibility in the hip joint could allow the sailor to carry out the maneuvers with greater efficiency in this type of boats, decreasing the impact on the stability of the boat [3] It is worth highlighting the importance of the flexion capacity of the hip joint as a performance variable in sport sailing, the elongation of the hamstring musculature. With the action of the flexors of the fingers, together with the that of the flexors of the elbows, the sailor controls the boat sail, which controls the direction and speed of the vessel [5,6]
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