Biomechanics and Medicine in Swimming XI

BiomechanicsandmedicineinswimmingXi
14
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Biomechanics
Physiology
Biophysics
EMG
Anthropometry
Psychology
Medicine
Instruments
Evaluation
Education
Training
Miscellaneous
Reviews
I (1971)
IV (1983)
I (1971)
II (1975)
III (1979)
IV (1983)
V (1988)
VI (1992)
X (2006)
VII (1996)
VII (1996)
VIII (1999)
IX (2003)
X (2006)
Figure 5. Distribution of the 622 papers analyzed by the 13 different
categories of classification of the scientific domains in each of the ten
books studied (values are number of papers per category and per book).
The PubMed TM search output, in absolute terms, is presented in Fig. 6.
The same categories were used, with the exception of “Reviews”. From
PubMed TM , a slightly different hierarchy of research domains was extracted,
if compared with the BMS profile. Particularly, a tendency was
noted for a higher importance of Physiology and Medicine, and reduced
expression of Biomechanics, inclusively compared with Training, for
instance.
5000
4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
Biomechanics
Physiology
Biophysics
EMG
Anthropometry
Psychology
Figure 6. PubMed TM search conducted on the 15 th January 2010 using
the categories selected, and limited to “Humans” (values are absolute
number of references).
dIscussIon
The analysis of the number of papers published by volume of the BMS
series shows a trend to a progressive and steady growth. However, this is
most noticeable after BMS VIII, when the editors decided not to select
commercial editorial companies to publish the books. So, most probably,
the restrictions imposed by commercial editors regarding the financial
weight of the book are the main reason for the above referred effect.
However, the option for non-commercial editions may also have some
detrimental effects, namely: (i) constraining the social perfusion of the
edition, and (ii) reducing the overall quality of the published material
due to a reduced need for selection of publishable papers.
The analysis of the country of affiliation of the first author provided
also very interesting results. Over forty represented countries in the
BMS series is an extremely impressive number, and the overall tendency
for growth naturally reveals a healthy trend for the worldwide spreading
of the aquatic swimming science community. However, there is also a
Medicine
Instruments
Evaluation
Education
Training
Miscellaneous
perceived tendency for stabilization during the last three volumes. In
the mean time, analysis may also reflect the attraction of the conference
(program, host institution and geographical location), and not necessarily
the distribution of swimming scientists over the planet. In this
regard, a detailed analysis reveals also some interesting findings. For
instance, despite Japan always being represented, its representation was
elevated in BMS VIII and remains so until today. The participation of
the USA can be analyzed in the opposite direction. American scientists
assumed a serious predominance during BMS I to III, and VI and VII,
but seem to retract afterwards. Another perceived effect, particularly in
the last editions, was a “house effect”, meaning an increase of the participation
of scientists from the organizing country, or from countries
in the neighborhood. This was clearly perceptible in BMS I to V, VII,
IX and X, and partially in BMS VIII, with an increased participation
of Russian scientists. Finally, the affiliation analysis revealed that eight
countries (20%), divided into three groups, are responsible for 70% of
the published material, which evidences an excessive centralization that
must be reduced in the future through international partnerships with
less represented countries.
Analyzing the distribution of the published papers by the research
domain categories selected for this study, a tendency can be
found, as stated before, for a prevalence of Biomechanics over Physiology
(including Biochemistry, Nutrition, and Thermoregulation) and the
other domains. This is not in accordance with previous results reported
by Clarys (1996, Foreword to BMS VII) about swimming research, nor
with the results extracted now from PubMed TM (Figure 7).
%
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Biomechanics
Physiology
Not included in Clarys (1996) search
Biophysics
EMG
Anthropometry
Clarys (1996, Foreword to BMS VII)
Total BMS
Total PubMed
Psychology
Figure 7. Comparison of the BMS series results (Total BMS) regarding
the percent distribution of published papers by the swimming science
studied categories, with the PubMed TM results, and the ones previously
published by Clarys (1996, Foreword to BMS VII).
It is perceivable from Fig. 7 that the BMS series seems to over represent
the relative importance of Biomechanics in the scene of global
swimming science production. The origin of the series (“Biomechanics
in Swimming”) might be considered the first determinant factor of this
situation, afterward preserved in time (with the exception of BMS VI),
but other reasons should be examined, such as the relevance of swimming
technique and biomechanics in the context of the determinant
factors of swimming competitive performance. The nature and main
focus of the data base searched might also have contributed to this perceived
effect. In the case of the PubMed TM search, the predominant role
of the medical areas might determine a higher presence of papers from
the Physiology and Medicine domains. This hypothesis is consistent
with the finding of an increased importance of these scientific fields
(Physiology, Medicine, Biophysics) in the BMS IV, which includes the
proceeding of both the 4 th International Symposium of Biomechanics
and Medicine in Swimming, and the 5 th FINA International Congress
Medicine
Instruments
Evaluation
Education
Not included in Clarys (1996) search
Training
Miscellaneous