# Morphological and Functional Asymmetry Among Competitive Female Fencing Athletes
## 4 Discussion  
### Fencing and Asymmetry: Insights from Elite Polish Athletes  
Fencing, as a combat sport, involves significant physical training loads. Due to its specific nature, often characterized by intensified work on one side of the body, differences in morphological structure, range of motion, strength, and functional dominance of one side over the other are common training challenges. Research conducted among elite Polish female fencers revealed a slight morphological asymmetry in a maximum of 30% of the examined morphological traits. Out of 24 bilateral anthropometric features analyzed, small but significant differences were found in seven features between the right and left sides of the body. Five of these seven significant asymmetries pertained to the upper limb, specifically the circumferences of the arm, flexed arm (biceps), minimum and maximum  
Figure 3: Association of morphological asymmetry of upper limb length (%) with functional lateralization of the upper limbs (F = 1.559, \(p\) = 0.221, relationship without statistical significance). Figure 2: Association of morphological asymmetry of the smallest forearm circumference (%) to functional lateralization of the lower limbs (F = 20.637, \(p\) = 0.001). forearm, and upper limb length. The other two asymmetries involved foot length and skinfold thickness on the torso (above the iliac crest). The observed asymmetries in Polish fencers are not substantial, reaching a maximum of approximately 5% of a given trait's value. These findings are corroborated by other researchers who suggest that prolonged and intensive fencing training can lead to a reduction in asymmetry (i.e., greater symmetry) compared to non-athletes [44]. It is possible that the female athletes studied were subjected to specific training interventions, developed and published in scientific periodicals, aimed at reducing asymmetry in their upper and/or lower limbs [8]. Additionally, it has been shown that dynamic balance is not significantly different between the lead and trail legs in elite fencers, despite the asymmetrical nature of their sport [45]. On the other hand, some researchers indicate that the varied level of morphological asymmetry among fencers may depend on functional asymmetry and training experience [46]. However, it should be emphasized that individual differences in symmetry levels can be significantly greater, as indicated by the high standard deviation values of the morphological asymmetry index (MAI). This is particularly true for more eco-sensitive anthropometric features, namely skinfold thicknesses and circumferences. Higher MAI values for these characteristics may, or may not, indicate an asymmetrical distribution of adipose tissue and asymmetry in the quantity and thickness of tendons or active (muscle) tissue between the right and left sides of the body. These asymmetries thus concern features that can be modified through appropriately selected training loads. Some researchers' findings indicate an increased risk of injuries in individuals with morphological asymmetry [47; 48]. Therefore, introducing training elements aimed at limb symmetrization seems to be a reasonable recommendation as a way to reduce the risk of injuries. As research indicates, symmetrizing exercises have a beneficial impact on the human body, especially for individuals exposed to unilateral overload [49; 50; 51]. On the other hand, some researchers indicate that minor morphological asymmetries appear to have no impact on reduced efficiency or multidirectional speed. Therefore, studies on the relationships between asymmetry and sports performance should be sport-specific and require further investigation [8; 9]. The above studies, for most of the analyzed factors, did not reveal significant differentiation between the compared bilateral anthropometric features. However, the recorded asymmetries predominantly concern the upper limb, specifically the weapon-holding arm. An important aspect contributing to these results appears to be the changing trend in fencing training styles.