Postural changes in canoe sprint athletes: The impact of two different active recovery methods

Introduction/Background Canoe paddling technique requires an asymmetric and cyclic muscular work, as athletes paddle on the right or left side of a canoe, that predispose athletes to muscle imbalance and injuries. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the postural profile of 10 elite sprint canoeists and evaluate two different active recovery methods using a biophotogrammetry technique and a physical test protocol. Material and method Ten males (22.30 ± 3.68 years old, 177.30 ± 3.62 cm stature, 77.36 ± 5.06 kg body mass) were evaluated using a postural assessment software (SAPO), that quantified the anthropometric imbalances, and performed two times an intermittent training protocol on a dansprint canoe ergometer followed by an active recovery method and a maximal 500 m test to evaluate the effectiveness of the recovery. The athletes performed two randomized moments that differed in the active recovery method: paddling on the usual side or paddling on the paradoxical (opposite) side. Results There were significant imbalance findings in the measured corporal distances between relative heights of contralateral anatomical points: tragus (3.26 ± 1.52 cm), acromion (2.43 ± 1.55 cm), middle knee joint (5.67 ± 3.25 cm) and lower angle of the scapula (3.86 ± 3.16 cm). The half-body corresponding to the side of the stroke was always the highest. There were no significant differences in the performance in terms of time, mean power and blood lactate concentration in the maximal 500 m test regardless of the type of active recovery performed after the training session. Conclusion Canoe practice leads to postural changes and, since there were no significant differences in the performance using the two different active recovery methods, it would be useful to implement the paradoxical active recovery as a practice of the canoeists daily training, making a symbiosis between recovery and postural compensation at sportive and medical level.