Symmetry and asymmetry of reaction time and body tissue composition of upper limbs in young female basketball players.

Introduction: The role of psychomotor abilities and their relationship to the morphofunctional characteristics of athletes is becoming more and more emphasized in studies on the subject, especially for disciplines that require athletes to notice and to respond to signals originating in dynamically changing conditions. At the same time, athletes who perform symmetrically are more effective and less likely to sustain an injury through unilateral strain. Aim of the study: Assessment of the degree of symmetry and asymmetry of reaction time to stimuli in the central and peripheral visual fields, and assessment of body composition of upper limbs in young female basketball players. Material and methods: Participants of the study comprised 17 young female basketball players. Their average age was 18.11±0.8 years. On average, they had been training basketball for 6.83±1.75 years. Body tissue composition was measured using the bioelectrical impedance method. The degree of symmetry and asymmetry of reaction time to signals in the central and peripheral visual fields were measured using the Reaction Test (RT-S1) and a modified Peripheral Perception (PP) test within the Vienna Test System. Results: An analysis of body tissue composition of the upper right and upper left limbs found an asymmetry (p<0.01 and p<0.05) in the FAT [%], FAT MASS [kg], and FFM [kg] parameters. The values of these parameters were higher for the non-dominant arm. No statistically significant differences were found in reaction time and motor time for the dominant and non-dominant arm. A correlation was found between motor time and the FFM [kg] (r=-0.62; p<0.05) and PMM [kg] (r=-0.63; p<0.05) parameters. Conclusions: A significant asymmetry was found in the body tissue composition of the upper limbs. Asymmetry of reaction time was found only for signals in the peripheral visual field.