Bilateral deficit in handgrip strength is not associated with rowing ergometer performances

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Human Physiology
• Biomechanics

Background:

• The bilateral deficit (BD) describes the phenomenon where the sum of forces generated during unilateral contractions exceeds the force generated during bilateral contractions.
• Understanding BD is crucial for optimizing athletic performance and training protocols.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the presence of the bilateral deficit in handgrip strength among trained rowers.
• To examine the relationship between the bilateral deficit and rowing ergometer performance over 500m, 1000m, and 2000m distances.

Main Methods:

• Handgrip strength was measured during both unilateral and bilateral contractions in 13 trained rowers.
• Rowing ergometer performance was assessed over 500m, 1000m, and 2000m distances.
• Statistical analysis was used to compare bilateral and unilateral forces and to correlate the bilateral index with rowing performance.

Main Results:

• No significant difference was found between bilateral (95.4 ± 13.3 kgf) and unilateral handgrip forces (95.2 ± 14.7 kgf), indicating the absence of a bilateral deficit (0.4 ± 4.3%).
• The bilateral index showed no significant correlation with performance in 500m (r = -0.097), 1000m (r = -0.576), or 2000m (r = -0.399) rowing ergometer tests.

Conclusions:

• Trained rowers do not exhibit a bilateral deficit in handgrip strength.
• The bilateral deficit is not associated with rowing performance in trained athletes, suggesting it may not be a critical physiological factor for this specific sport.