Biomechanics and Medicine in Swimming XI
Biomechanics and Medicine in Swimming XI
Biomechanics and Medicine in Swimming XI
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dIscussIon<br />
The ma<strong>in</strong> aim of this study was to analyze the underwater glid<strong>in</strong>g motion<br />
<strong>in</strong> collegiate competitive swimmers <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>vestigate whether wear<strong>in</strong>g<br />
“high speed” swimsuit could ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> the knee <strong>and</strong> the hip jo<strong>in</strong>t<br />
angles of 180 degree. The underwater glid<strong>in</strong>g motion of the swimmer<br />
is said a significant role <strong>in</strong> the start <strong>and</strong> the turn phase. Dur<strong>in</strong>g these<br />
phases, reduc<strong>in</strong>g underwater resistance force leads to the improvement<br />
of the swimm<strong>in</strong>g performance.<br />
Dur<strong>in</strong>g the underwater glid<strong>in</strong>g motion, the swimmers have to hold a<br />
streaml<strong>in</strong>ed posture. This posture directly <strong>in</strong>fluences the modification of<br />
the hydrodynamic resistance created by the swimmer (Havriluk 2007).<br />
Elipot et al. (2009) showed that, to hold a streaml<strong>in</strong>ed position, a k<strong>in</strong>ematical<br />
synergy of the three pr<strong>in</strong>cipal jo<strong>in</strong>ts’ action is an essential. This<br />
synergy is characterized by a comb<strong>in</strong>ation of the three jo<strong>in</strong>ts, aim<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
stay <strong>in</strong> the best streaml<strong>in</strong>ed position, <strong>and</strong> to glide longer at high speed.<br />
The return to the water surface should rather be <strong>in</strong>itialized by a progressive<br />
<strong>and</strong> synchronize action of the three jo<strong>in</strong>ts (Elipot et al. 2009).<br />
The result of this study showed that the highest speed was ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
dur<strong>in</strong>g the glid<strong>in</strong>g motion when the knee <strong>and</strong> the hip jo<strong>in</strong>t angles<br />
of 180 degrees were ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed from the start to 0.8sec (Figure 7). In<br />
addition, swimm<strong>in</strong>g speed slowed down when the <strong>in</strong>voluntary movements<br />
of flexion-extension <strong>in</strong> the knee <strong>and</strong> the hip jo<strong>in</strong>ts were observed<br />
dur<strong>in</strong>g the glid<strong>in</strong>g motion. These results suggested that the subjects<br />
could not ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> the knee <strong>and</strong> the hip jo<strong>in</strong>t angles of 180 degrees<br />
dur<strong>in</strong>g the glid<strong>in</strong>g motion, as the results, might try to ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> the body<br />
balance by the flexion-extension movements <strong>in</strong> the knee <strong>and</strong> the hip<br />
jo<strong>in</strong>ts. Moreover, high-speed swimsuit would support ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g the<br />
knee <strong>and</strong> the hip jo<strong>in</strong>t angles of 180 degrees dur<strong>in</strong>g the glid<strong>in</strong>g motion<br />
without the flexion-extension movements <strong>in</strong> the knee <strong>and</strong> the hip jo<strong>in</strong>ts.<br />
Therefore, dur<strong>in</strong>g the underwater phase dur<strong>in</strong>g starts <strong>and</strong> turns, it is a<br />
necessity that the swimmer ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>s a streaml<strong>in</strong>ed posture.<br />
conclusIon<br />
The highest speed was ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed dur<strong>in</strong>g the glid<strong>in</strong>g motion when the<br />
knee <strong>and</strong> the hip jo<strong>in</strong>t angles of 180 degrees were ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed from push<br />
off from the wall to 0.8sec (1.82m). In addition, swimm<strong>in</strong>g speed slowed<br />
down when the <strong>in</strong>voluntary movements of flexion-extension <strong>in</strong> the knee<br />
<strong>and</strong> the hip jo<strong>in</strong>ts were observed dur<strong>in</strong>g the glid<strong>in</strong>g motion.<br />
reFerences<br />
Adrian M.J., J.M. Cooper. (1995). <strong>Biomechanics</strong> of Human Movement.<br />
Brown & Benchmark, Madison.<br />
Chatard J.C., B. Wilson. (2008). Effect of Fastsk<strong>in</strong> suits on performance,<br />
drag, <strong>and</strong> energy cost of swimm<strong>in</strong>g. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 40(6): 1149-<br />
1154.<br />
Elipot M., P. Hellard, R. Taiar, E. Boissiere, J.L. Rey, S. Lecat, N. Houel.<br />
(2009). Analysis of swimmers’ velocity dur<strong>in</strong>g the underwater glid<strong>in</strong>g<br />
motion. J Biomech, 42(9): 1367-1370.<br />
Havriluk R. (2007). Variability <strong>in</strong> measurement of swimm<strong>in</strong>g forces: a<br />
meta-analysis of passive <strong>and</strong> active drag. Research Quarterly for Exercise<br />
<strong>and</strong> Sport. 78: 32-39.<br />
Mar<strong>in</strong>ho D.A., V.M. Reis, F.B. Alves, J.P. Vilas-Boas, L. Machado, A.J.<br />
Silva, A.I. Rouboa. (2009). Hydrodynamic drag dur<strong>in</strong>g glid<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong><br />
swimm<strong>in</strong>g. J Appl Biomech, 25(3): 253-257.<br />
Mollendorf J.C., A.C. Term<strong>in</strong> II, E. Oppenheim, D.R. Pendergast.<br />
(2004). Effect of swim suit design on passive drag. Med Sci Sports<br />
Exerc. 36(6): 1029-1035.<br />
Roberts B.S., K.S. Kamel, C.E. Hedrick, S.P. Mclean, R.L. Sharp.<br />
(2003). Effect of a Fastsk<strong>in</strong>TM suit on submaximal freestyle swimm<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 35(3): 519-524.<br />
Speedo International Limited. (2009). http://www.speedo.co.uk/en_uk/<br />
aqualab_ technologies/aqualab/<strong>in</strong>dex.html.<br />
chaPter2.<strong>Biomechanics</strong><br />
Head Out Swimm<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> Water Polo: a Comparison<br />
with Front Crawl <strong>in</strong> Young Female Players<br />
Zamparo, P., Falco, s.<br />
Faculty of Exercise <strong>and</strong> Sport Sciences, University of Verona, Italy<br />
The aim of this study was to measure heart rate (HR), arm stroke efficiency<br />
(ηp) <strong>and</strong> trunk <strong>in</strong>cl<strong>in</strong>e (TI) dur<strong>in</strong>g head out swimm<strong>in</strong>g (HOS)<br />
<strong>and</strong> front crawl swimm<strong>in</strong>g (FCS) <strong>in</strong> young female water polo players<br />
(12 <strong>and</strong> 16.5 years of age, 3.3 <strong>and</strong> 4.8 years of practice, respectively) at<br />
different speeds (from slow to maximal). The need of keep<strong>in</strong>g the head<br />
out of the water <strong>and</strong> the elbows high <strong>in</strong> HOS leads to a small (2%), albeit<br />
significant, reduction of the self select speed <strong>in</strong> comparison to FCS.<br />
Dur<strong>in</strong>g HOS the players have a larger (32%) TI while ηp is significantly<br />
reduced (21%) than dur<strong>in</strong>g FCS. Both factors (the <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> TI <strong>and</strong><br />
the reduction <strong>in</strong> ηp) lead to an <strong>in</strong>crease of the energy requirement of this<br />
peculiar “form of locomotion <strong>in</strong> water” as confirmed, albeit <strong>in</strong>directly, by<br />
the higher HR (10%) observed <strong>in</strong> HOS at any given speed.<br />
Key words: water polo, arm stroke efficiency, hydrodynamic resistance,<br />
IntroductIon<br />
In water polo, dribbl<strong>in</strong>g is the technique of mov<strong>in</strong>g the ball, while swimm<strong>in</strong>g<br />
forward, <strong>in</strong> the wake created by alternat<strong>in</strong>g arm strokes. With this<br />
technique the players keep the elbows high (<strong>in</strong> order to stop oppos<strong>in</strong>g<br />
players from ga<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g possession of the ball) <strong>and</strong> keep their head out of<br />
the water to see the rest of the pool <strong>and</strong> make the appropriate play.<br />
This “mode of locomotion <strong>in</strong> water” is expected to be quite expensive<br />
energetically s<strong>in</strong>ce the need of keep<strong>in</strong>g the head out of the water necessary<br />
means that the trunk is more <strong>in</strong>cl<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> respect to the horizontal<br />
(<strong>and</strong> this should have an effect on the hydrodynamic resistance, W d )<br />
while keep<strong>in</strong>g the elbows high probably affects the propulsive efficiency<br />
of the arm stroke (η p ). Both W d <strong>and</strong> η p are known to affect the energy<br />
cost of aquatic locomotion (C, the energy expended to cover one unit<br />
distance):<br />
C = W d / (η p η m ) (1)<br />
where η m is the mechanical efficiency of swimm<strong>in</strong>g (e. g. Zamparo et al.,<br />
2008). Thus the hypothesized <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> W d <strong>and</strong> decrease <strong>in</strong> η p should<br />
lead to a proportional <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> C, <strong>in</strong> respect to the condition of a<br />
“st<strong>and</strong>ard” front crawl stroke.<br />
Whereas <strong>in</strong> the literature it is reported that water polo players are<br />
less economical <strong>in</strong> front crawl (head down) swimm<strong>in</strong>g compared to<br />
competitive swimmers (for a review see Smith, 1998) to our knowledge<br />
no one has <strong>in</strong>vestigated so far the energy cost of swimm<strong>in</strong>g dur<strong>in</strong>g head<br />
out swimm<strong>in</strong>g nor its determ<strong>in</strong>ants: i. e. the efficiency of the arm stroke<br />
<strong>and</strong>/or the hydrodynamic resistance.<br />
Moreover, as well as competitive swimmers learn how to swim efficiently<br />
(by improv<strong>in</strong>g swimm<strong>in</strong>g technique) also water polo players are<br />
expected to learn how to swim wit the head out <strong>in</strong> the most efficient<br />
<strong>and</strong> economical way. We can thus hypothesize that more expert water<br />
polo players would show a lower difference between head out swimm<strong>in</strong>g<br />
(HOS) <strong>and</strong> front crawl swimm<strong>in</strong>g (FCS) than younger, less expert ones.<br />
The aim of this study was, therefore, to <strong>in</strong>vestigate the trunk <strong>in</strong>cl<strong>in</strong>e<br />
<strong>and</strong> the propell<strong>in</strong>g efficiency of the arm stroke <strong>in</strong> two groups of young<br />
female water polo players (G-12: 12 years old <strong>and</strong> G-16: 16.5 years old)<br />
while swimm<strong>in</strong>g both styles (HOS <strong>and</strong> FCS) at different speeds (from<br />
slow to maximal).<br />
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