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Is There Any Effect of Symmetry on Velocity of the Four Swimming Strokes?

2021; Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute; Volume: 14; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.3390/sym14010012

2073-8994

Raúl F. Bartolomeu, Pedro Miguel Monteiro Rodrigues, Catarina C. Santos, Mário J. Costa, Tiago M. Barbosa,

Muscle activation and electromyography studies

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.