Aquatic Sports Research Articles

Efeito da idade relativa no desempenho de nadadores em competições brasileiras nacionais

The aim of this study was to compare the performance of athletes born in different quartiles in swimming competitions organized by the Brazilian Confederation of Aquatic Sports (CBDA), as well as to verify possible differences in the frequency of athletes born in these quartiles. The sample consisted of 7561 swimmers’ birth dates, who were in the top eighth positions in competitions organized by the CBDA in the 2017-2020 quadrennium. Athletes were grouped by their birth quartile, by their competitive category in the CBDA in the year of the competition and by sex. In addition, their position in the competition was quantified in points (10 to 3 points), ten points for the 1st place, nine points for the 2nd place, and so on. Chi-square and Friedman tests, with post-hoc Dwass-Steel-Critchlow-Fligner, were used to compare birth frequency and performance in different quartiles, respectively, with significance of 5%. Differences were identified in the athletes' birth distribution, in the sample without gender separation and considering this grouping variable, in practically all categories and in the sample as a whole. Regarding performance, the difference between individuals born in different quartiles was more prevalent in the sample without gender consideration and for male athletes. With the results of the present study, it is possible to conclude that RAE, both in frequency and in performance, exist in almost all analyzed categories and that for men it is more frequent in Brazilian competitors.

Effect of different physical activity interventions on perinatal depression: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

BackgroundPerinatal depression can have profound impacts on both families and society. Exercise therapy is gradually becoming a widely used adjunct treatment for perinatal depression. Some studies have already focused on the relationship between physical activity and perinatal depression (PND). However, there is currently a lack of systematic and comprehensive evidence to address the crucial question of making optimal choices among different forms of physical activity. This study aims to compare and rank different physical activity intervention strategies and identify the most effective one for perinatal depression.MethodsFour databases, namely PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science, were searched for randomized controlled trials assessing the impact of physical activity interventions on perinatal depression. The search covered the period from the inception of the databases until May 2024. Two researchers independently conducted literature screening, data extraction, and quality assessment. Network meta-analysis was performed using Stata 15.1.ResultsA total of 48 studies were included in the analysis. The results indicate that relaxation therapy has the most effective outcome in reducing perinatal depression (SUCRA = 99.4%). Following that is mind-body exercise (SUCRA = 80.6%). Traditional aerobics and aquatic sports were also effective interventions (SUCRA = 70.9% and 67.1%, respectively).ConclusionOur study suggests that integrated mental and physical (MAP) training such as relaxation therapy and mind-body exercise show better performance in reducing perinatal depression. Additionally, while exercise has proven to be effective, the challenge lies in finding ways to encourage people to maintain a consistent exercise routine.Trial registrationThis study has been registered on PROSPERO (CRD 42,023,469,537).

Body Composition and Dietary Intake Profiles of Elite Iranian Swimmers and Water Polo Athletes.

This study aimed to conduct a detailed and comparative analysis of body composition and dietary habits in elite swimming and water polo athletes. Through the examination of these key parameters, this study seeks to compare the dietary intake of these two distinct aquatic sports disciplines. A total of 10 top-level swimmers and 13 water polo athletes participated in anthropometric and body composition assessments, as well as a detailed analysis of nutritional intake. To compare the two groups, an independent samples t-test was used, and variance homogeneity was checked using Levene's test. The effect size of the group differences was evaluated using Hedges' g. Water polo athletes showed significantly greater height (189.4 ± 2.9 vs. 186.5 ± 2.0 cm, p = 0.013), body mass index (24.3 ± 1.4 vs. 22.1 ± 0.5 kg/m2, p < 0.001), fat-free mass (62.9 ± 1.4 vs. 61.1 ± 1.38 kg, p < 0.001), skeletal muscle mass (47.1 ± 1.3 vs. 43.9 ± 1.6 kg, p < 0.001), and overall weight (86.9 ± 6.9 vs. 76.7 ± 2.2 kg, p < 0.001) in comparison to swimmers. Swimmers consumed greater amounts of mean daily energy (60.0 ± 1.0 vs. 39.0 ± 1.0 kcal/kg, p < 0.001), carbohydrate (7.8 ± 0.3 vs. 4.4 ± 0.5 g/kg, p < 0.001), protein (1.7 ± 0.5 vs. 1.4 ± 0.5 g/kg, p < 0.001), and fat (2.4 ± 0.5 vs. 1.7 ± 0.5 g/kg, p < 0.001) compared to water polo athletes. Our findings highlight the need for differentiated targeted nutritional interventions to enhance athletic performance in different types of water sports. Compared to water polo athletes, swimmers consumed significantly higher amounts of calories, matching their increased calorie demand from their specific training regime. However, this is an observational study and the differential needs of energy and macronutrients in water sports should be confirmed by studies with energy expenditure measurements.

PENDEKATAN ARSITEKTUR METAFORA PADA PERANCANGAN STADION AKUATIK DELI SPORT CITY

North Sumatra Province is set to host the 21st National Sports Week again, one of the sports buildings to be built is the Stadium for Aquatic Sports. This design approach is Metaphor architecture. This is to give the identity of the building. Planning principles by taking the formation of swimmers and water. The purpose of this study is to assess the success of the Aquatic Stadium building design with the application of international standards using the Metaphor Architecture Concept. The design focuses on the theme that has been determined and is included in the arrangement of aquatic sports arenas and other supporting facilities. The concept in this design is through the process of finding ideas about architectural data on the Aquatic Stadium from various sources of information. The research method is carried out by analysing and conceptualising the availability of data, and conducting a validation test of the design results with the metaphorical indicators used in planning. The result of this research is that it has followed the standards and the indicators given are in accordance with the design. The results of the research can be used as a building identity for the Deli Sport Centre area. Later this suitability, can be used as an output as a planning that provides regional identity.

The Influence of The Learning-to-Swim Method Using Fins and Swimming Boards on The Butterfly-Style Swimming Ability of SeaRIA Aquatic Athletes

This study examines how SeaRIA Aquatic athletes' butterfly-style swimming proficiency is affected by using fins and swimming boards during the learning phase. Using a quasi-experimental methodology, the study concentrates on 55 SeaRIA Aquatic athletes. Twenty male athletes were chosen using purposive selection, and groups were created using matching strategies. A pretest, a 14-session therapy phase, and a posttest are all included in the study. The butterfly swimming ability test is used as the assessment instrument. The normality test (Liliefors) and the t-test with a significance level of α=0.05 are used in data analysis. The results show a strong relationship between the fin-and-swimming board learning approach and the improvement of butterfly swimming skills in SeaRIA Aquatic athletes. The estimated t-value of 15.37 is more than the essential t-table value of 1.81, indicating that the observed influence is significant. These findings highlight how well fins and swimming boards can be incorporated into swim training regimens for SeaRIA Aquatic athletes, especially when mastering the difficult butterfly-style technique. The consequences of this study go beyond its local setting, providing insightful information to aquatic sports organisations, coaches, and trainers looking for evidence-based methods to improve their participants' swimming skills. This study adds to the current conversation about novel and efficient ways to maximise training plans and lays the groundwork for further research on water sports education and performance improvement.

Retrospective study of COVID-19 experiences in elite multinational aquatic athletes

This study assessed the experiences of elite aquatic athletes with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the first World Championship conducted without social distancing and an isolation “bubble”. An online questionnaire was completed by 812 athletes (22.7 ± 5.9 years, 467 females) to provide data on demographics, sports activity, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection rates, symptoms, reinfection, vaccination status, and psychological aspects. The answers revealed that 49.4% of athletes had experienced SARS-CoV-2 infection. The infection rates varied significantly across different aquatic sports, with open water swimmers having the lowest (28%) and water polo players (67%) and artistic swimmers (61%) having the highest infection rates (p < 0.0001). The majority reported mild (51%) or moderate (27%) symptoms, while 16% remained asymptomatic. Reinfection occurred in 13%, and 10% of initial infections led to long COVID, with fatigue (65%) and shortness of breath (48%) being the most common long-term symptoms. Significantly, 92% of athletes received at least two vaccine doses and reported a positive vaccination experience (median score of 8 out of 10 for each shot). Mood changes and subjective performance drops significantly correlated with the overall experience scores (rho: 0.617, p < 0.0001, and rho: 0.466, p < 0.0001, respectively). In conclusion, most athletes experienced a benign disease course despite a relatively high infection rate. This study provides valuable insights into the COVID-19 experiences of elite aquatic athletes. The findings emphasize the importance of vaccination initiatives, monitoring psychological well-being and the need to fortify athletes’ resilience in the face of future health challenges.

Assistance for the Introduction of Aquatic Sports through Swimkids in Early Childhood

Water activities (special swimming for those who are proficient) have many benefits. Can be compared, children learn to walk on the floor with children learning to swim directly. The different is that one is on the floor and theother is in the water. Children who learn to walk on the floor only a few motor muscles that move. While swimming all the motor muscles move. This means that children who learn to swim from a young age certainly have better motor skill. Physical improvent is more advanced in children who do not swim. Apart from being physical, swimming also stimulates more sctivr hormone, such as the hormone adrenaline. So that the end result, the level the end result, the level of intelligence can also be high. In development countries preschool aquatic sports progrsm are more focused. Introducing motormodeic aspect for basic swimming skills. Children are not taught to survive indepentently in the water and enjoy the activites they do. Swimming skil can be acquired more readily at the age of 5 years. Although some children younger that 4 years require longer introduction to learn swimming skill. Physically the child will succed in doing swimming movements after the muscle fibers and nerves are mature. The purpose of this community service activity is to share experiences in water activities for children from an early age, that is, between the ages of 1 – 4 years it will be better for children to learn quickly, and avoid the possibility of having an accident drowning in a pool. Through mentoring activities for the introduction of aquatic sports through swimkids in early childhood at the Sumber Alam Dawung Kediri swimming pool, it is hoped that it will be able to improve the quality of physical and mental health of young children, especially in the Kediri environmen

Aquatic Cultural and Sports Tourism: Socio-Economic Development Policy Implication

Aquatic Cultural and Sports Tourism: Socio-Economic Development Policy Implication

Aquatic Cultural and Sports Tourism: Socio-Economic Development Policy Implication

Aquatic Cultural and Sports Tourism: Socio-Economic Development Policy Implication

Analysis of postural balance between two aquatic sports using vertical vs. horizontal body position.

This study aims to analyze and compare the postural balance between two aquatic sports where vertical vs. horizontal body positions (i.e., windsurfing vs. swimming) are key techniques for both sports. Eight volunteer windsurfers and eight swimmers agreed to participate in this study. Each of the assessments was a 2D kinematic analysis of frontal and/or sagittal balance (i.e., in bipedal and/or unipedal stance) of the center of mass velocity on wobble board (Single Plane Balance Board) on hard and/or soft surface. Kinematic analysis was performed in 2D using two action-cams. Data were digitized using the video-based data analysis system SkillSpector. The results showed that the ANOVA, with repeated measures on 1 factor, showed a significant difference (p<0.001) between groups (i.e., swimmers and windsurfers) in all variables and in the interaction between ground (i.e., hard and foam) and group (p<0.01) in all tests in sagittal plane. Furthermore, for the ground*group interaction, a study (i.e., paired t-test) of the difference between balance (i.e., in frontal and/or sagittal plane) on hard and soft ground for each group showed that windsurfers had no difference in body sway in frontal and/or sagittal plane between hard and soft surface in bipedal stance. We concluded that the windsurfers showed better postural balance performances compared to swimmers in the bipedal posture on hard and soft ground. Also, the windsurfers presented a better stability level compared with the swimmers.

JUST KEEP SWIMMING?

By bringing queer ecologies to bear on the blue humanities, this essay promotes a queer hydropoetic investigation that attends to the forms, aesthetics, and politics of pools. Pools are sites of aquatic enjoyment, sport, and revelation that have long been understudied within the blue humanities. We ask whether the promises and failures of swimming in these geographies can provide a queer heuristic in which submersion, immersion, and staying afloat subtend coming out, queer eroticism, and queer of color coalitional politics. Our tripartite examination engages the independent film Saved! (2004), the ecosexual documentary Water Makes Us Wet (2019), and the young adult novel and graphic novel adaptation of Gabby Rivera’s Juliet Takes a Breath (2016/2019 and 2020, respectively). Our analysis of pools, as intimate bodies of water that capture media and literature alike, reorients the blue humanities to consider closer proximities and smaller scales of water’s queer potentiality.

Injuries Related to Wakeboarding in Brazil: A Cross-Sectional Study

Wakeboard is an aquatic sport that has been growing in number of participants in several countries last years. Like other aquatic sports with high-speed and tricks with complex movements, wakeboarding involves a series of risks to practitioners and there are few recent scientific publications, and most of them are case reports. Method: It is a prospective cross-sectional study among wakeboarders with more than one year of practice, in which it has been collected demographic data, riding profile and information regarding the types of injuries presented by the participants, aiming to identify the most frequent injuries and correlates with variables, such as age, sex, body mass index, modality, frequency, and level of practice. For this, an online questionnaire was used and the data were analyzed with chi-square test when applicable. Results: The research had 157 valid responses, from which 124 (79%) declared to have had at least one injury related to wakeboarding. From them, 88% reported at least one skin wound, 69% reported muscular injury, 53% sprain, 18% joint dislocations, 18% bone fractures, 15% concussions and 3% reported other, such as accidents with animals. Equipment failure, such as inadequate size of boots or binding loose fixation, was appointed by 8% of the participants as a predisposing factor for sprains. Men had a relative risk of 1.47 of getting injured compared to women (IC 1.06 - 2.05, p = 0.002). There were no statistically significant differences when comparing different ages, body mass index or modality (boat or cablepark). From the general musculoskeletal harms, 82% of the sprains and 50% of the bone fracture occurred on lower limbs, as the upper limbs were most affected on joint dislocation (87%). Sprains were most common on the knee (46%) and ankle joints (36%), and 70% of the sprains with ligament involvement affected the anterior cruciate ligament. Shoulder was the joint affected in 79.2% of the dislocations. Conclusions: Wakeboard has a high prevalence of injuries: most of them with skin wounds and musculoskeletal ones. Men have a higher injury rate than women and there was no association with age, body mass index, or modality. Equipment failure is a predisposing factor for harms and the higher the frequency and level of practice, the higher the chances of getting injured.

REABILITAÇÃO ESPORTIVA AQUÁTICA NA RECUPERAÇÃO FUNCIONAL DE LESÃO DO JOELHO

ABSTRACT Introduction Knee joint injury is a common sports injury and how to speed up the recovery process is a concern for all athletes. Objective Determine whether aquatic sports rehabilitation nursing can accelerate the rehabilitation process of knee joint injuries. Methods Thirty patients with knee ligament or meniscal injury were divided into an aquatic sports group and a control group. The control group assumed general recovery measures, while the aquatic exercise group was added another 8 weeks of rehabilitation nursing with aquatic exercises. The evolution of the degree of knee joint pain, knee joint range of motion, knee joint muscle strength and other indicators before and after the experiment were compared. Results After 8 weeks of intervention, pain and activities of daily living in the aquatic exercise group improved significantly compared with those before the experiment; the degree of recovery from knee joint injury in the aquatic exercise group was significantly better than that in the control group, and knee joint flexion range of motion, flexor and extensor muscle strength, and other indicators in the aquatic exercise group were significantly better than those in the control group. Conclusion Aquatic rehabilitation exercise can accelerate the recovery process of patients with knee joint injuries. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment outcomes.

Surfers’ myelopathy: a case report

Background: As surfing gains adherents, the injuries derived from its practice become more frequent, one of which is the so-called surfer’s myelopathy (SM). Case Presentation: We present the case of a patient with an abrupt onset of mild back-lumbar pain, followed by paresthesia and motor involvement of both lower limbs as well as sphincter disturbance in the context of the immediate practice of an aquatic sport. Thoracic spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging showed T2 hyperintensities in the central part of the spinal cord between T8 and T12. SM is a nontraumatic spinal cord injury, of vascular etiology, caused by the prolonged hyperextension of the spine. Conclusion: The importance of this work lies in being one of the few in Peru addressing this pathology and the need for awareness for taking preventive measures by young athletes.

Aquatic Board Sport Injuries: A Literature Review.

Aquatic board sports, particularly traditional surfing, kitesurfing, skimboarding, stand-up paddleboarding, and foil surfing, are growing in popularity. Increased participation has revealed similar injury types, mechanisms, and unique patterns related to the individual board sports. Practitioners who live near aquatic environments should familiarize themselves with these injury patterns to provide high-quality care and prevention for participating individuals. This article will examine the current literature for each aquatic board sport and summarize specific injury-type data to provide better guidance to clinicians.

Recovery in water polo: how much do we have to know? A systematic review.

Water polo (WP) is a high-intensity intermittent aquatic sport, with a predominance of swimming skills and nonswimming activities and incomplete recovery periods. Consequently, recovery after exercise is a fundamental part of sports performance. The main purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the effects of different recovery strategies in WP performance. The studies were found by searching in the databases of PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. Methodological quality and risk of bias were assessed in accordance with the Cochrane Collaboration Guidelines samples. A summary of results including five studies was followed. The results show that supplementation with cherry juice before training does not imply improvements in recovery; the full-body photobiomodulation therapy reduces muscle damage; reducing training load during the season increased the natural logarithm of the root mean square of successive differences and perceived state of recovery, and the heart rate variability stabilizes and could progressively increase at the end of a tournament; and when an increase in internal training load is less than 60%–70% autonomic cardiac disturbances during preseason training do not occur. Recovery in WP is a very limited field of study that needs future research in active recovery, hydrotherapy, massage, rest and sleep to help coaches formulate recommendations.

Biomechanical Assessment of Throwing Gesture and Performance in Female Water-Polo Players

Water-polo is an aquatic sport based on the high level of coordination of several body movements, frequent changes in positions, speeds, and directions. Considering technical and tactical aspects, the power, the force, and the shot accuracy have been identified as important skills and specific training programs can be scheduled with the attempt to improve them. Moreover, the biomechanical investigation of kinematic parameters during the shot can contribute to the evaluation of player’s throwing performance and to the description of gesture. The principal aim of the current study is the comparative analysis of throwing kinematics in three different types of shots. Eleven female players were evaluated before and after 45 days of a specific water-polo training. In the experimental tests, three types of shots were performed, shoulder and elbow angles and throwing velocity were analyzed. In addition, power and precision parameters were estimated to describe players’ throwing performance. During the passing-feint shot, a significant lower maximum velocity (before: 14.7 m/s; after: 13.9 m/s; p-value = 0.005) and a higher shoulder angle (before: 56.7°; after: 63.9°; p-value = 0.003) were observed. During the passing-spontaneous shot, players’ precision showed a tendency to increase after the training (score before: 9.0; score after: 11.0 score; p-value = 0.05). This study proved the feasibility of an objective biomechanical assessment of the throwing kinematics and throwing performance of water-polo players, in ecological conditions.

The Musculoskeletal Injury Profile of Aquatic Sports Athletes: A Case Study in UPSI

In recent years, aquatic sports (AS) have become more popular, especially for those who enjoy the adventurous sports activities. However, the AS have the possibility of injury, although the activities are performed in the water media. This study aimed to determine the musculoskeletal injury profile and incidence among AS athletes in Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI) from 2018-2020. A total of 62 staff and students who are AS athletes participated in this study. The injuries of athletes were assessed based on the type, location and cause of injuries within the last two years of competition events or training sessions and through an online survey method by Sport Injury Reporting Questionnaire. The AS were swimming, kayaking, canoeing, dragon boating, and rowing. The study recorded 102 injury cases in total. The results showed muscle cramps were the most common injury, followed by abrasion contusion and muscle strain. The most common body location injury specifically in swimming was the shoulder injury, followed by forearm, hip and thigh. In addition, overuse and chronic were the highest injury causes, followed by poor paddling technique and low level of strength and only a few of the respondents reported a lack of proper warm-up and cool-down. These findings revealed the injuries probably occurred in the upper body, which was caused by overuse training and inappropriate technique, particularly in swimming strokes and boating. These findings may be useful when developing future training program that aims to prevent sport injuries in aquatic sports.

Changes in Muscle Activation During and After a Shoulder-Fatiguing Task: A Comparison of Elite Female Swimmers and Water Polo Players.

This study compared female athletes with different aquatic sports expertise in their neuromuscular activation before, during, and after a shoulder internal rotation fatigue protocol. Eleven water polo players, 12 swimmers, and 14 controls completed concentric maximal voluntary external and internal shoulder rotations before and after a fatigue protocol consisting of concentric internal rotations at 50% of maximal voluntary contraction for at least 3 min or until reporting a rating of perceived effort RPE of 8/10 or higher. Muscle activation was measured for the maximal voluntary contractions, as well as for the first (T1), middle (T2), and third (T3) minute of the fatigue protocol using surface electromyography (EMG) on pectoralis major, anterior and posterior deltoid, upper and middle trapezius, and latissimus dorsi. Intramuscular EMG was used for supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and subscapularis. Pre-fatigue internal rotation torque was significantly correlated with shorter task duration (r = −0.39, p = 0.02), with water polo players producing significantly greater torque than controls but having significantly lower endurance. Swimmers demonstrated decreased latissimus dorsi activation at T3 compared to T2 (p = 0.020, g = 0.44) and T1 (p = 0.029, g = 0.74), differing from water polo players and controls who exhibited increased agonist activation and decreased activation of stabilizers. Comparing the pre-fatigue to the post-fatigue maximal shoulder rotations, water polo players had decreased activation in subscapularis (p = 0.018, g = 0.67); all groups had decreased activation in latissimus dorsi (p < 0.001), though swimmers demonstrated a large effect (g = 0.97); and controls had decreased activation in supraspinatus (p = 0.005, g = 0.71). Together, these results suggest that sports expertise may be associated with different muscle activation both while and after fatigue is induced. Further research should continue to explore sports-specific patterns of muscle recruitment and fatigue adaptations, as well as if certain strategies are adaptive or maladaptive. This may have important consequences for injury prevention among athletes who perform repetitive overhead movements in their sports and who are susceptible to overuse injuries.

SCS 4th Annual Conference: Strength and Conditioning for Human Performance, Porto, Portugal, 2021.

On behalf of the Strength & Conditioning Society (SCS) and the Faculty of Sport of the University of Porto, we are pleased to present the abstracts of the SCS 4th Annual Conference: Strength and Conditioning for Human Performance, which took place in, Porto, Portugal, on 12–13 November 2021. The event was a success with invited sessions from renowned international and national speakers on a myriad of topics related to strength and conditioning and its application to health and sports performance, such as agility training and testing, high-intensity interval training in chronic conditions, hamstring strain injuries in soccer, and the utilization of surface electromyography (EMG) decomposition for assessing human performance, among others. During the Conference there were also different practical workshops on (1) velocity-based training; (2) performance testing and athlete monitoring using force platforms; (3) 3D kinematics tracking and flow force assessment in aquatic sports; (4) the application of inertial sensors for physical performance testing; (5) muscle fiber recruitment, force production, and energy expenditure in progressive bicycle testing; (6) EMG decomposition, motor-units recruitment, and muscle contraction modes; and (7) recovery strategies in team-sport athletes. Researchers and academics were able to present their latest findings by submitting the abstracts that compose this Conference Report.