Position of arm and forearm, and elbow flexion during performance of the sculling technique: Technical recommendation versus actual performance

Lara Elena Gomes,Yumie Okuyama Da Silva,Mônica De Oliveira Melo,Flávio De Souza Castro,Victor Wigner Tremea,Jefferson Fagundes Loss,Marcelo La Torre

doi:10.1590/s1980-65742014000100005

Abstract

Sculling motion is a swimming technique executed in a vertical position with the head above the water's surface and, based on the technical recommendation, should be performed maintaining an elbow flexion angle of 90°, arms kept stationary while the forearms move. In order to verify if this recommendation is indeed realistic, the aim of this study was to describe the elbow flexion angle ant its angular velocity, linear speed and range of motion of the shoulder, elbow and wrist during the sculling motion. Data were calculated using three-dimensional kinematic process from underwater video images of ten athletes of synchronized swimming. The results indicate that the arm is relatively stationary and the forearm moves, which agrees with the technical recommendation. However, the elbow flexes and extends, which contradicts the technical recommendation. These findings should be considered when this action is practiced, especially in synchronized swimming, in which sculling motion is a fundamental technique.

Highlights

Sculling motion is a propulsive action performed in synchronized swimming, water polo and swimming, in which the hands describe a figure of an infinite symbol or an egg-shaped oval (Ito, 2006; Pochon, Arellano &, Arráez, 2007)
The aim of the present study was twofold: (a) to describe the elbow flexion angle and angular velocity of the elbow to verify whether the elbow remains flexed at 90° and (b) to describe the linear speed and range of motion of shoulder, elbow and wrist in order to verify if the arm is stationary while the forearm moves during a sculling motion performed in the vertical position according to the technical recommendation
Pochon, Arellano and Arráez (2007) and Arellano (2011) have noted that the path of the hand in the sculling motion performed in the vertical position is not a perfect infinite symbol, which is described in books and manuals

Summary

Introduction

Sculling motion is a propulsive action performed in synchronized swimming, water polo and swimming, in which the hands describe a figure of an infinite symbol or an egg-shaped oval (Ito, 2006; Pochon, Arellano &, Arráez, 2007). The motion is composed of four portions: two translational phases, in-sweep and out-sweep when the hand moves inward and outward respectively, and two rotational phases which are transition phases between the in- and out-sweep phases (Arellano, Terrés-Nicoli & Redondo, 2006). This action may provide propulsive force in order to lift the body and/or propel the body on the water. This propulsive force depends on some factors as angular positions of the limbs that perform the movement (Gardano & Dabnichki, 2006; Lauder & Dabnichki, 2005). During a support sculling motion, the elbow flexion angle should be 90° and the arms should be stationary while the forearms with the hands move inward and outward either if it is done either (a) with head above the water’s surface and forearms in pronation, which characterizes a vertical position (Ito, 2006; Thomas, 1990), or (b) with head down and forearms in supination, which characterizes an inverted vertical position (Forbes, 1984; Homma & Homma, 2006; Fugita, 2010)

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion