INTRODUCTION:
the swimming styles with alternate or simultaneous upper limb movements can generate different demands on the lumbopelvic muscles. The evaluation of pelvic alignment in transverse plane may contribute to the understanding of the influence of these demands arising from swimming on the pelvic stability.
OBJECTIVES:
to investigate the effect of alternated or simultaneous strokes on pelvic stabilization in the transverse plane.
METHODS:
a total of 113 swimmers were evaluated, 63 performing alternated strokes and 50 simultaneous strokes, by means of the bridge test with unilateral knee extension. The magnitude and asymmetry of pelvic tilt or drop were quantified through motion analysis software. The Mann-Whitney test was used to assess differences in pelvic tilt asymmetry between athletes who practiced alternated and simultaneous stroke in each test repetition. Mixed-design ANOVA was performed to investigate differences in the magnitude pelvic tilt among repetitions according to the stroke practiced.
RESULTS:
pelvic tilt asymmetry did not show differences between groups in any repetition. The magnitude of pelvic drop was higher in the third repetition 15.96±7.18° than in the first 15.13±7.52° and the second 15.16±7.35° in all swimmers. The alternating stroke practitioners showed higher magnitude of pelvic tilt than simultaneous stroke ones 16.46±7.38° versus 14.13±7.08°.
CONCLUSION:
the type of stroke practiced does not influence the asymmetry of pelvic alignment in the transverse plane. However, the magnitude of pelvic tilt was higher in the third repetition and in alternating stroke practitioners.
pelvis; swimming; Athletes
