The purpose of this study was to analyze specific biomechanical and physiological variables in disabled swimmers performing a functional backcrawl. The effect of selectively placed flotation devices on the body position, exercise heart rate, and perceived exertion of the swimmer was compared to swimming with no flotation. The participants in the study included eight able-bodied males 21.5 (+2.51) yrs. and four disabled males 29.25 (+2.22) yrs. Each subject performed the backcrawl for 3 consecutive lengths of a 25 meter pool under four separate trial conditions: free swimming, swimming with the hip flotation device, the knee flotation device, and the ankle flotation device. Immediately following each trial a post-exercise heart rate was taken and the subject was asked to rate perceived exertion. Full recovery was allowed after each trial. Trials were video taped and digitized to determine the mean angles at the neck, trunk, hip, and knee during one complete stroke cycle. The investigator recognizes that this generalization presents the possibility for a bias in the data and that further study would warrant the utilization of the different phases of the stroke for determination of body angles. The results of the study demonstrated that a significant difference did exist between the disabled and able-bodied hip angle during free swimming. Within the disabled group, no significant differences were evident when comparing the body angles during free swimming to the same angles while swimming with each of the flotation devices. Correlations between heart rate and ratings of perceived exertion for all subjects (n=12) were significant in each of the four trial conditions. / School of Physical Education
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/183907 |
| Date | 03 June 2011 |
| Creators | Malone, Kathleen N. |
| Contributors | Gehlsen, Gale M. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | viii, 81 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
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