Abstract
Aquatic exercises can be used in clinical and sporting disciplines for both rehabilitation and sports training. However, there is limited knowledge on the influence of water immersion on the kinematics of exercises commonly used in rehabilitation and fitness programs. The aim of this study was to use inertial sensors to quantify differences in kinematics and movement variability of bodyweight squats, split squats, and single-leg squats performed on dry land and whilst immersed to the level of the greater trochanter. During two separate testing sessions, 25 active healthy university students (22.3±2.9 yr.) performed ten repetitions of each exercise, whilst tri-axial inertial sensors (100 Hz) recorded their trunk and lower body kinematics. Repeated-measures statistics tested for differences in segment orientation and speed, movement variability, and waveform patterns between environments, while coefficient of variance was used to assess differences in movement variability. Between-environment differences in segment orientation and speed were portrayed by plotting the mean difference ±95% confidence intervals (CI) throughout the tasks. The results showed that the depth of the squat and split squat were unaffected by the changed environment while water immersion allowed for a deeper single leg squat. The different environments had significant effects on the sagittal plane orientations and speeds for all segments. Water immersion increased the degree of movement variability of the segments in all exercises, except for the shank in the frontal plane, which showed more variability on land. Without compromising movement depth, the aquatic environment induces more upright trunk and shank postures during squats and split squats. The aquatic environment allows for increased squat depth during the single-leg squat, and increased shank motions in the frontal plane. Our observations therefore support the use of water-based squat tasks for rehabilitation as they appear to improve the technique without compromising movement depth.
Highlights
The benefits of aquatic-based exercise constitute its common practice in rehabilitation, recovery, and fitness [1,2,3]
The analysis showed that immersion in water did not significantly affect the depth of the squat and split squat (SS)
The analysis of the angular displacement time series showed that water immersion had moderate and large effects on all segments in the sagittal plane during at least one exercise (Fig 2 and S1 Fig)
Summary
The benefits of aquatic-based exercise constitute its common practice in rehabilitation, recovery, and fitness [1,2,3]. Previous research has indicated differences in muscle activity, joint angles, and movement speeds when walking and running in water [9, 10] and during isolated knee flexion-extension tasks [11], but the influence of the aquatic environment on closed-chain exercises often prescribed for rehabilitation and fitness programs has not been well researched. This has left practitioners without a comprehensive understanding of kinematic implications of water immersion on prescribed exercises, which potentially reduces their ability to ensure optimal efficacy of water-based exercise
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
