Background : Balancing performance can be affected by regular and high-level athletic
training, which has not been fully explored in synchronized ice skaters. This study
aimed to analyze the dynamic balancing performance by assessing the principal and
compensatory movements performed during the sudden provocation tests and evaluating
the parameters that characterize the platform’s motion. Method : Twelve young female
synchronized ice skaters and 12 female age-matched controls participated. Sudden provocation
tests were completed three times in bipedal stance and in single-leg stances, and
sport-specific fatigue session was inserted between the repetitions. Results : Significantly
more time was necessary to recover balance for both groups after the fatiguing sessions
( p < .05). Interestingly, skaters performed less effectively in the simplest condition
(bipedal stance) than the control group ( p < .05). The principal component analysis
showed that the first principal movement was the same for both groups. The skater
group used the upper body and arms more often to compensate, while the control group’s
recovery strategy consisted mainly of abduction of the elevated leg. The damping ratio
and the relative variance of the first principal movement showed a negative correlation
( p < .05), suggesting that those with superior balancing effectiveness recruited
more compensatory movements.
