Proprioception and Flexibility Profiles of Elite Synchronized Swimmers

Abstract

This study compared the full-body flexibility and joint proprioception (on land and underwater) of (a) 20 elite female synchronized swimmers (mean age ± standard deviation = 18.5 ± 1.9 years) and (b) 20 college female swim team members with no training in synchronized swimming (control participants; mean age ± standard deviation = 20.6 ± 1.3 years). Flexibility of the trunk and upper and lower limbs was measured using plastic tape and a goniometer, respectively. Joint proprioception (joint position sense) of the upper and lower limbs on land and underwater was measured by an active joint angle repositioning test. Principle outcome measures were passive joint range of motion (flexibility) and active joint repositioning error (proprioception). Multivariate analysis of covariance revealed that, compared with control swimmers, synchronized swimmers had greater passive joint ranges of motion in the spinal and upper and lower limb joints ( p < .05) and fewer active joint repositioning errors in the shoulder, wrist, and ankle on land ( p < .05) and in the hip and ankle underwater ( p < .05). These results help characterize peak synchronized swimmer capabilities, provide valuable reference details for coaches, and may be useful for talent identification and skill development in this sport.

Substantiation of Methods for Predicting Success in Artistic Swimming

“…The importance of this quality for success in AS has also been confirmed by a number of studies. Cho et al [39] determine that synchronous swimmers had an increased range of motion in the joints of the spine and upper and lower extremities compared to swimming athletes. Other authors have studied the diagnostic validity of various functional tests in the AS athletes to assess functional disorders of the upper extremities [40].…”

Elbow joint position and hand pressure force sense under conditions of quick reaction in table tennis players

“…These studies have been based on soccer (Muaidi, Nicholson, & Refshauge, 2009), basketball (Sevrez & Bourdin, 2015), taekwondo (Fong, Tsang, & Ng, 2013), rugby (Herrington, Horsley, & Rolf, 2009), as well as handball (Panics, et al, 2008). Cho et al (2017) pointed out that synchronized swimmers had fewer active joint repositioning errors in the shoulder, wrist, and ankle on land and in the hip and ankle underwater. Other studies, however, have emphasized that high-intensity training is likely to have a negative effect on the limb position sense (Barrack, Cook, & Skinner, 1984;Dover, Kaminski, Meister, Powers, & Horodyski, 2003) or that some types of sports (e.g.…”

The Effects Induced by a Specific Program on the Development of Segmental Flexibility in Athletes Aged 7–14 in Synchronized Swimming

“…Synchronized swimming is a sport discipline, which requires the development of specific technical elements, called mandatory figures, according to some models adopted, requiring a high performance, within the competition [ 1 , 2 ].…”

“…For the realization with a high technicality of the imposed elements, an important factor is the level of development of the motor qualities. Segmental flexibility is an essential condition that contributes to the increase of spectacularity from the point of view of artistic appreciation, being responsible for the accuracy and precision of the shape of the elements performed, from a technical point of view [ 2 ]. Flexibility has a tendency to decrease throughout life, except for the period between 10 and 13 years where it is significantly developed by increasing disproportion, in which the lower limbs become proportionally longer compared to the upper body, avoiding overloads of the musculoskeletal system [ 6 ].…”