An Electrogoniometric Study of the Wrist and Elbow in the Crawl Arm Stroke

Abstract

Abstract This study was undertaken to investigate the flexion and extension patterns of the wrist and elbow joints of varsity and untrained swimmers during the sprint crawl stroke. Eighteen subjects, representing the fastest swimmers from the Yale University Varsity Swimming Team, the Springfield College Varsity Swimming Team, and from swimming classes for men at Springfield College, were tested in 1966. Each subject sprinted the crawl stroke, from a dead start, four times over a distance of 20 yards. The wrist and elbow actions were recorded by means of waterproofed electrogoniometers attached to both wrists and both elbows, which continuously measured the angles and recorded on the oscillograph. Waterproofed transducers placed on each palm recorded on the oscillograph the instant of hand entry into the water and the exit from the water. It was found that, in spite of some differences between the groups, the overall patterns of movement were similar. The range within each group was such that for each var...