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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
The different characteristics of the four swimming strokes affect the interplay between the four limbs, acting as a constraint to the force produced by each hand and foot. The purpose of this study was to analyze the symmetry of force production with a varying number of limbs in action and see its effect on velocity. Fifteen male swimmers performed four all-out bouts of 25-m swims in the four strokes in full-body stroke and segmental actions. A differential pressure system was used to measure the hands/feet propulsive force and a mechanical velocity meter was used to measure swimming velocity. Symmetry index was calculated based on the force values. All strokes and conditions presented contralateral limb asymmetries (ranging from 6.73% to 28% for the peak force and from 9.3% to 35.7% for the mean force). Backstroke was the most asymmetric stroke, followed-up by butterfly, front crawl, and breaststroke. Kicking conditions elicited the higher asymmetries compared with arm-pull conditions. No significant associations were found between asymmetries and velocity. The absence of such association suggests that, to a certain and unknown extent, swimming may benefit from contralateral limb asymmetry
Description
Keywords
Asymmetry Hand force Segmental actions Velocity
Citation
Bartolomeu, Raúl Filipe; Rodrigues, Pedro; Santos, Catarina C.; Costa, M.J.; Barbosa, Tiago M. (2021). Is there any effect of symmetry on velocity of the four swimming strokes? Symmetry. ISSN 2073-8994. 14:1, p. 1-11
Publisher
MDPI