Comparative analysis of motor functional asymmetry indicators in athletes of cyclic sports, martial arts, and esports

Abstract

Background and Study Aim. Understanding and assessing functional asymmetry among athletes is pivotal, as it has the potential to reveal hidden strengths and weaknesses that can profoundly influence competitive performance. Study Aim: to perform a comparative analysis of functional asymmetry indicators among athletes in cyclic sports (short track), martial arts (karate, taekwondo), and esports (CS:GO). Material and Methods. The study involved athletes of martial arts (n=10, age 18.9±0.12, experienced athletes), elite players of semi-professional CS:GO teams (n=10, age 19.2±0.50), and short track athletes (n=10, age 19±0.09, experienced athletes). The functional asymmetry was determined using a specialized program for iOS tablets. Results. Esports athletes a higher number of taps during the test within a given unit of time. They also exhibit shorter reaction times and have briefer tap durations using both their right and left hands, in comparison to athletes specializing in other disciplines. Across all three specializations, athletes display minimal disparities between their right and left hands regarding tap count, reaction time, and tap duration at each of the six test stages.  The variance in tap count ranges from 0 to 1.40 times, while reaction time differs by 0 to 2.33 milliseconds, and tap duration varies between 1.53 to 8.69 milliseconds. Conclusions. The exploration of motor functional asymmetry holds significant importance in analyzing the motor skills and perceptual-motor capabilities of athletes across diverse sports and proficiency levels. A comparison of functional asymmetry metrics among athletes from three distinct specializations affirmed the similarity in outcomes across all measures. This suggests that elite athletes possess a heightened level of movement coordination and symmetry in their execution between their right and left hands. The advanced level of sports training contributes to the balanced enhancement of intermuscular coordination, further positively impacting visual-motor reaction times.