Strength profiles and performance in Masters' level swimmers

The purpose of this study was to profile shoulder, trunk, and thigh strength and shoulder range of motion in competitive Masters' level swimmers and to see if these variables were related to swimming performance. Twenty-four Masters' level swimmers (13 men and 11 women) were tested for isometric trunk flexion and extension, isokinetic knee extension and flexion, shoulder abduction, internal rotation, external rotation, and supraspinatus muscle strength; shoulder internal and external rotation range of motion; and 50-yard swimming time. Strength scores were adjusted for weight. The men were significantly stronger than the women in trunk extension and flexion. Shoulder range of motion, shoulder abduction strength, and thigh strength were equal for both the men and the women. The men were stronger than the women in internal and external shoulder rotation. Conversely, the women tested were significantly stronger than the men in the supraspinatus muscle test. The men were significantly faster than the women in the 50-yard swim. Inverse relationships existed between swimming time and trunk flexion, trunk extension, and shoulder internal rotation strength. Trunk flexion strength remained the only significant predictive variable of swimming time in a multiple regression analysis.