When discussing functional muscular asymmetries we refer to muscles that surround the joints,
that is in the terms of the agonist / antagonist ratio. The authors determine the importance of
the influence of functional asymmetries on the quality of the exercise of motor activities and
thus on the sporting results, therefore taking them into account is very important in the
application of techniques and methods of training. As authors write, functional asymmetries
can also have positive effects on speed, agility and technical capabilities. Specialists of sports
medicine warn of the negative impact of functional and lateral asymmetries on health and
injury. For kickboxers, there are certain chronic abnormalities of functional muscles that lead
to muscle imbalance. Injuries in kickboxing are due to the rules of sport more often than in
traditional boxing, mixed martial arts or other sports disciplines. In order to prevent injuries,
the results of diagnostic methods that allow asymmetry measurements can be useful.
Out of the diagnostic methods we used the measurement of contractile muscles with
tensiomyography (TMG), measurements of the jump power on the pressure plate and
measurement of the maximum isokinetic strength. On 23 kickboxers at the age of 22,7 years (±
4,4 years), with mean height 179,5 cm (±7,0 cm) and mean weight 72,8 kg (± 10,7kg) we
compared the interconnection of the parameters measured by each of the three methods.
Average maximal values of functional symmetries in the dominant leg were: when measuring
TMG (symmetry based on all TMG parameters) 74,83 ± 12,39%, in the measurements of the
maximum propagation power (the ratio between area under the curve of the 2nd and the 1st
part of the discharge (SJ)) 89,02 ± 23,93% and in isokinetic dynamometry 61,12 ± 8,06% at
600
/ s and 73,14 ± 10,31% at 1800
/ s.
Statistically significant correlation was found between the functional symmetry of the thigh
muscles at the angular velocity 600
/s and the angular velocity of 1800
/s (p <0,01; r = 0,58),
while among the other parameters we did not find typical connections (p> 0,05).
Regardless of the fact that in our research, in most cases, we have not observed the typical links
between functional asymmetries, it is important that we consider them. By that we can improve
the quality of the exercise of motion patterns and, consequently, improve sporting results and
lower likelihood of injury in athletes.
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