Thermal Imaging of Exercise-Associated Skin Temperature Changes in Swimmers Subjected to 2-min Intensive Exercise on a VASA Swim Bench Ergometer.

Aleksandra Radecka,Anna Lubkowska,Anna Knyszyńska

doi:10.3390/ijerph18126493

Abstract

An important element of swimming training is the improvement of muscle strength and the technique of swimming movements on dry land. The heat generated by the muscles involved in the effort contributes to a change in the temperature of the skin surface, which can be assessed by the IRT method. The aim of the study was to assess the symmetry and dynamics of changes in surface temperatures of selected areas of the body in swimmers after exercise on a swimming ergometer with the use of IRT. A total of 12 swimmers (aged 19 ± 1.3 years) completed a two-minute stress test (front crawl swimming movements) using a VASA Swim Ergometer, with a load of 5. Using an IRT camera (FLIR E60), postexercise changes in back and upper limbs surface temperature in relation to the resting values were observed. After exercise, the temperature value of all assessed areas decreased, apparently in the area of the back and the back of the arms, returning to the baseline values after 12 min of observation. There was no asymmetry in mean temperature values between the right and left upper limbs. IRT is a noninvasive and sensitive tool for the individual analysis of changes in body surface temperature in swimmers after training on dry land.

Highlights

Carmelo Adsuar Sala and PantelisSwimming performance is considered to be largely dependent on muscular power and strength, the latter being identified as the main determinant of success in competitive swimming
There was no asymmetry between the mean temperature values of the corresponding areas of the right and left upper limbs, and these differences did not exceed 0.5 ◦ C
As a result of physical exercise, the temperature of the analyzed areas changed in all swimmers, and the size of these changes was estimated based on the calculation of the difference between the temperature values for subsequent measurement times

Summary

Introduction

Swimming performance is considered to be largely dependent on muscular power and strength, the latter being identified as the main determinant of success in competitive swimming. Strength training is an important element of swimming training [2,3], but it should be remembered that the movements used during training and exercise testing should be biomechanically similar to the movements performed during the competition [4]. The so-called dry-land swimming training consists of a series of exercises focused on dynamic force and a specific movement performed with constant or variable force. The maximum strength value that can be achieved is determined individually for each athlete.

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