Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 21, 2026
Determining The Electromyographic Fatigue Threshold Following a Single Visit Exercise Test
Published on: July 27, 2015
Neuromuscular fatigue induces phase-specific multisegmental kinematic adaptations in elite traditional rowers: a
Alfonso Penichet-Tomas1, Patxi León-Guereño2, Arkaitz Castañeda-Babarro2
1Health, Physical Activity and Sports Technology (Health-Tech), Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Education, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain.
Introduction:
Neuromuscular fatigue disrupts rowing technique, yet its multisegmental effects in Traditional fixed-seat rowing remain poorly understood. This study examined the phase-specific impact of fatigue on joint angles, body segment heights, and center of gravity position at the catch and finish phases.
Methods:
Nineteen elite male Traditional rowers (age: 29.4 ± 7.0 years, height: 182.0 ± 6.1 cm, body mass: 78.2 ± 8.0 kg) competing in the ACT, the highest Traditional rowing league division, were recruited for a within-subject pre-post design; two did not complete the post-fatigue assessment and marker availability varied, so paired analyses included ≤17 complete cases per variable. Following a pre-fatigue kinematic assessment, participants performed a standardized incremental test to volitional exhaustion on a fixed-seat ergometer. Three-dimensional kinematic data were captured using an STT Systems 3DMA. Paired-samples t-tests compared pre- and post-fatigue conditions, with Benjamini-Hochberg correction for multiple comparisons and Cohen's d as effect size.
Results:
Body segment heights decreased significantly after fatigue and remained significant after correction. At the catch, head (1,182.0 vs. 1,163.8 mm), shoulder (914.3 vs. 882.9 mm) and hand heights (641.1 vs. 626.9 mm) were reduced (adjusted p ≤ 0.042; d = -0.72 to -1.19); at the finish, head (1,073.7 vs. 1,049.0 mm) and hand heights (989.3 vs. 962.8 mm) were reduced (adjusted p = 0.024; d = -0.78 and -0.79). The vertical center of gravity decreased at both the catch (659.4 vs. 647.9 mm; adjusted p = 0.045; d = -0.64) and finish (565.2 vs. 551.5 mm; adjusted p = 0.045; d = -0.64). Changes in joint angulations (increased shoulder and elbow flexion, decreased knee flexion) showed unadjusted trends but did not survive correction and are reported as exploratory.
Conclusion:
Neuromuscular fatigue induces distinct, phase-specific kinematic adaptations in Traditional rowing, characterized by a systematic reduction in postural height (all three upper-body landmarks at the catch, and head and hand heights at the finish) and exploratory joint-angle adjustments at the catch and finish. These findings support multisegmental three-dimensional kinematic analysis as a sensitive tool for monitoring fatigue-related technique changes in Traditional rowing, with implications for training design and potential relevance for injury prevention.
