Upper-to-lower limb coordination dynamics in swimming depending on swimming speed and aquatic environment manipulations

GUIGNARD, Brice, ROUARD, Annie, CHOLLET, Didier, BONIFAZI, Marco, DALLA VEDOVA, Dario, HART, John and SEIFERT, Ludovic (2019). Upper-to-lower limb coordination dynamics in swimming depending on swimming speed and aquatic environment manipulations. Motor control, 23 (3), 418-442.

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Abstract

Swimming is a challenging locomotion, involving the coordination of upper and lower limbs to propel the body forward in a highly resistive aquatic environment. During front crawl, freestyle stroke, alternating rotational motion of the upper limbs above and below the waterline, is coordinated with alternating lower limb pendulum actions. The aim of this study was to investigate the upper to lower limbs coordination dynamics of eight male elite front crawlers while increasing swimming speed and disturbing the aquatic environment (i.e., pool vs. flume). Upper to lower limb frequency ratios, coordination, coupling strength, and asymmetry were computed from data collected by inertial measurement units. Significant speed effect was observed, leading to transitions from 1∶1 to 1∶3 frequency ratios (1∶3 overrepresented), whereas 1∶2 frequency ratio was rarely used. Flume swimming led to a significant lower coupling strength at low speeds and higher asymmetries, especially at the highest speeds, probably related to the flume dynamic environment.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	1106 Human Movement And Sports Science; Experimental Psychology
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1123/mc.2018-0026
Page Range:	418-442
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Elements
Depositing User:	Symplectic Elements
Date Deposited:	21 Dec 2018 11:54
Last Modified:	17 Mar 2021 20:16
URI:	https://shura.shu.ac.uk/id/eprint/23601

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