The Role of Kayak Rolling Techniques in Developing Proprioception—— A Case Study of Sweep Roll, C-to-C Roll, and Hand Roll

Abstract

Kayak rolling, as a water sport skill, requires not only strength and technical proficiency but also proprioceptive ability, vestibular regulation, and neuromuscular control to restore body posture. This study examines three rolling techniques—Sweep Roll, C-to-C Roll, and Hand Roll—by integrating proprioception theory, motor control theory, and embodied cognition theory to analyze their impact mechanisms on athletes' sensory-motor systems. The findings suggest that kayak rolling may enhance athletes' proprioceptive abilities through mechanisms such as sensory reweighting, vestibular-proprioceptive integration, neuromuscular feedback modulation, and sensory-motor coupling.