Strength Asymmetries in Young Elite Sailors: Windsurfing, Optimist, Laser and 420 Classes

Israel Caraballo,José V Gutiérrez-Manzanedo,José Luis González-Montesinos,Francisco Casado-Rodríguez

doi:10.3390/sym13030427

Israel Caraballo, José V Gutiérrez-Manzanedo + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/sym13030427

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Abstract

Strength asymmetries in the upper and lower limbs may affect the body movements of the joints or limbs. Although asymmetries in the upper limbs have been studied in sailors, those in lower limbs have not been evaluated in this sport population. The aims of this study were: (i) to analyze lower limb asymmetries in young elite sailors in order to quantify the magnitude of asymmetry between limbs for variables that were established as reliable in a healthy population, and (ii) to evaluate the presence of differences between classes and sexes in inter-limb asymmetries in elite youth sailors. Sixty-eight young Spanish elite sailors (9–19 years of age) participated voluntarily in our study. Single-leg vertical countermovement jump (VCJ), single-leg horizontal countermovement jump and hand dynamometry tests were used to evaluate the strength of the upper and lower limbs. More than 50% of the sailors presented asymmetries in the lower limbs. The boys’ group and Optimist class presented a greater percentage of strength asymmetry.

Highlights

Gómez RuanoDinghy sailing is a sport in which the strength of the upper and lower limbs determines performance [1,2]
These results are similar to those obtained in another study, in which strength was evaluated by hand dynamometry in 33 sailors of the Windsurfing, Optimist and Laser classes [28]
The results show that the Laser class had a higher average value in hand dynamometry (HD) and vertical countermovement jump (VCJ), for both the left and right hand and for the dominant and non-dominant side in the upper and lower limbs

Summary

Introduction

Gómez RuanoDinghy sailing is a sport in which the strength of the upper and lower limbs determines performance [1,2]. In the monohull type, such as the Optimist, Laser and 420 classes, performance is related to the ability of the sailor to keep the boat stable [3]. The sailor performs a specific technical gesture to stabilize the boat, which is called “hiking bench”. In this action, the sailor places his/her feet in straps near the centerline of the boat and leans his/her body overboard in order to balance the moment of the resulting forces [1]. In Olympic sailors of the Laser class, the maximum quadriceps strength is strongly related to successful performance [6]

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