Related Experiment Videos
Shoulder impingement in front-crawl swimming: I. A method to identify impingement
1Department of Exercise Science, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA. tyanai@pooka.otago.ac.nz
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
|January 27, 2000
Summary
This study developed a noninvasive method to detect shoulder impingement in swimmers. Impingement was identified in 12% of the stroke cycle for a collegiate swimmer using 3D videography.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Biomechanics
- Orthopedics
Background:
- Subacromial impingement is a common cause of shoulder pain in athletes performing repetitive overhead motions.
- Front-crawl swimming involves repetitive overhead arm movements, increasing the risk of shoulder impingement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a noninvasive method for identifying shoulder impingement during front-crawl swimming.
- To quantify the occurrence of impingement during the swimming stroke.
Main Methods:
- Defined impingement criteria based on arm elevation and internal rotation.
- Utilized 3D videography to measure shoulder configurations during swimming.
- Compared measured shoulder configurations against a defined impingement boundary.
Main Results:
- A noninvasive method successfully identified impingement instances during the front-crawl stroke.
- Shoulder impingement occurred for 12% of the stroke cycle in a male collegiate swimmer.
Conclusions:
- The developed method allows for the identification of shoulder impingement during swimming.
- Further research using advanced imaging like MRI is recommended for confirmation.