TY - JOUR
T1 - Dry-land bilateral hand-force production and swimming performance in paralympic swimmers
AU - Dingley, Andrew
AU - Pyne, D.
AU - Burkett, Brendan
PY - 2014/10/1
Y1 - 2014/10/1
N2 - The effectiveness of human movement is the culmination of several musculoskeletal factors; asymmetry in movement could reduce optimal performance. The aims of this study were to quantify relationships between bilateral hand-force production, swimming performance, and the influence of fatigue. Paralympic swimmers (n=21, aged 20.9 ± 4.7 yr) were categorised into no, high- and low-range physical disability groups and performed two 100 m time trials to measure swimming performance. Bilateral hand-force was measured over two 60 s maximal tests on a swim-bench ergometer to quantify the degree of asymmetry. Large relationships between mean force and swimming velocity were seen for both the high- (r=0.62, ±0.45; r-value, ±90% confidence limits) and low-range (r=0.62, ±0.50) groups. Asymmetry was related to level of disability, with the smallest difference of 6.7, ±2.6 N in the no-musculoskeletal disability group. This difference increased to 13.1, ±10.0 N and 13.5, ±16.2 N in the high- and low-range groups. Between the first and last 15 s of the swim-bench test, reductions in mean force were small for the physical disabilities groups. Similarly, changes in asymmetry were small for both the no-physical and low-range groups. Paralympic swimmers with a more severe physical impairment typically generate substantially lower force and velocity.
AB - The effectiveness of human movement is the culmination of several musculoskeletal factors; asymmetry in movement could reduce optimal performance. The aims of this study were to quantify relationships between bilateral hand-force production, swimming performance, and the influence of fatigue. Paralympic swimmers (n=21, aged 20.9 ± 4.7 yr) were categorised into no, high- and low-range physical disability groups and performed two 100 m time trials to measure swimming performance. Bilateral hand-force was measured over two 60 s maximal tests on a swim-bench ergometer to quantify the degree of asymmetry. Large relationships between mean force and swimming velocity were seen for both the high- (r=0.62, ±0.45; r-value, ±90% confidence limits) and low-range (r=0.62, ±0.50) groups. Asymmetry was related to level of disability, with the smallest difference of 6.7, ±2.6 N in the no-musculoskeletal disability group. This difference increased to 13.1, ±10.0 N and 13.5, ±16.2 N in the high- and low-range groups. Between the first and last 15 s of the swim-bench test, reductions in mean force were small for the physical disabilities groups. Similarly, changes in asymmetry were small for both the no-physical and low-range groups. Paralympic swimmers with a more severe physical impairment typically generate substantially lower force and velocity.
KW - asymmetry
KW - force
KW - swim-bench ergometer
KW - Movement
KW - Cross-Sectional Studies
KW - Anthropometry
KW - Humans
KW - Muscle Strength/physiology
KW - Functional Laterality/physiology
KW - Sports for Persons with Disabilities/physiology
KW - Young Adult
KW - Exercise Test
KW - Fatigue/physiopathology
KW - Adult
KW - Swimming/physiology
KW - Hand/physiology
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84929045723&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1055/s-0033-1364023
DO - 10.1055/s-0033-1364023
M3 - Article
C2 - 24892653
AN - SCOPUS:84929045723
SN - 0172-4622
VL - 35
SP - 949
EP - 953
JO - International Journal of Sports Medicine
JF - International Journal of Sports Medicine
IS - 11
ER -