Editing Kayak (section)

=== Seating position and contact points ===
[[File:Kayak sitting positions.svg|thumb|Kayak sitting positions. The longer boat is a West Greenland kayak, the shorter a kayak polo boat. Pale orange areas are the places against which the paddler braces their feet and thighs (contact with hips, and with the kayak's seat, not shown).]]
Traditional-style and some modern types of kayaks (e.g. sit-on-top) require that paddler be seated with their legs stretched in front of them, in a right angle, in a position called the "L" kayaking position. Other kayaks offer a different sitting position, in which the paddler's legs are not stretched out in front of them, and the thigh brace bears more on the inside than the top of the thighs (see diagram).

A kayaker must be able to move the hull of their kayak by moving their lower body, and brace themselves against the hull (mostly with the feet) on each stroke. Most kayaks therefore have footrests and a backrest. Some kayaks fit snugly on the hips; others rely more on thigh braces. Mass-produced kayaks generally have adjustable bracing points. Many paddlers also customize their kayaks by putting in shims of [[Polymeric foam|closed-cell foam]]<ref name=masik_design/> (usually [[Ethylene-vinyl acetate|EVA]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Buchnev |first=Alex |date=October 26, 2021 |title=Top 10 Best Kayak Seats: Comfort for Your Back and More |url=https://paddlingspace.com/best-kayak-seats/ |access-date=July 12, 2023 |website=PaddlingSpace.com |language=en-US}}</ref>), or more elaborate structures, to make it fit more tightly.<ref name=masik_design>{{cite web|url=http://qajaqrolls.com/2012/09/masiks.html|title=Masik designs for modern kayaks|first=Christopher|last=Crowhurst|date=September 25, 2012|website=Qajaqrolls.com|url-status=dead|access-date=November 29, 2017|archive-date=September 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210905103939/https://qajaqrolls.com/2012/09/masiks.html}}</ref>

Paddling puts substantial force through the legs, alternately with each stroke. The knees should therefore not be [[hyperextended]]. Separately, if the kneecap is in contact with the boat, or the knee joint is in [[torsion (disambiguation)|torsion]], this will cause pain and may injure the knee. Insufficient foot space will cause painful cramping and inefficient paddling. The paddler should generally be in a comfortable position.