Association Between Mechanical, Physiological, and Technical Parameters With Canoe Slalom Performance: A Systematic Review

Abstract

This study aimed to systematically review studies that evaluated and compared mechanical, physiological, and technical parameters with the performance of slalom athletes. PubMed, SPORTDiscuss, and Scopus databases were searched until September 10, 2021, with no restriction of published data. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guided the study's screening and quality assessment performed by an external reviewer using a 16-checklist item. A search of the databases identified 125 studies, but only eight were eligible, including a total sample of 117 male athletes. Four reports only associated mechanical or technical parameters with the performance of the paddler. Concerning the remaining studies, only one correlated physiological data, and the others associated more than one parameter with race time. Most of the eligible reports presented significant associations between mechanical/physiological components and slalom performance. Eligible studies support that high-force development during a slalom race is a relevant parameter for performance. Aerobic metabolism is highly required during slalom tasks and is inversely associated with race time, although it may not increase the chances of winning medals. Few reports have associated canoe slalom performance with technical components, and further research should focus on this matter.

Body morphology and handgrip strength parameters of the female canoe slalom paddlers

“…In male athletes, physiological differences between performance levels are described—successful male athletes achieve significantly higher levels of relative strength (strength/body weight ratio) and special endurance represented by specific on-water tests ( Busta et al, 2018a ; Vajda and Piatrikova, 2022 ) but not in aerobic power tested by treadmill running ( Bielik et al, 2021 ). Therefore, it is not surprising that significant factors in canoe slalom are body size (body measurements and proportions) and body composition ( Messias et al, 2021 ). The elite male athletes are, on average, tall; their body weight is approximately 75 kg and only rarely exceeds 80 kg ( Coufalová et al, 2021 ).…”