Kinematical and Muscular Fatigue in Swimmers

• Sponsor: Universita degli Studi di Genova (Other)
• Overall Status: Completed
• CT.gov ID: NCT06069440
• Collaborator: (none)
• Enrollment: 23
• Location: 1
• Arm: 1
• Actual Duration (Months): 17.9
• Patients Per Site Per Month: 1.3

Study Details

Study Description

Brief Summary

During a submaximal task, gradual muscle fatigue occurs, which inevitably results in a decline in performance (mechanical failure). Elite athletes are known to employ unconscious compensatory strategies during fatiguing submaximal tasks in an attempt to delay the onset of mechanical failure as long as possible.

The purpose of this study was to gain valuable insight into the strategies used by elite swimmers to cope with mechanical failure. Twenty-two swimmers were subjected to a swim test consisting of swimming as long as possible at a predetermined and controlled pace. A light strip positioned at the bottom of the pool allows athletes to get feedback on which gait to keep. The kinematics (stroke rate, stroke length, and efficiency index) and electrical activity of 10 muscle groups were analyzed and compared at the beginning of the test (non-fatiguing conditions), just before the athlete lost the ability to maintain the predetermined pace (pre-mechanical failure), and after the athlete lost the ability to maintain the pace (mechanical failure). It is hypothesized that as fatigue becomes more pronounced and the point of inability to maintain a predetermined speed is approached, increased EMG activity will occur in key muscles while other muscle groups may show more obvious signs of fatigue. In addition, changes in the rhythm and coordination of upper limb movements may occur.

Condition or Disease	Intervention/Treatment	Phase
Healthy	Other: Swimming Fatigue Task	N/A

Study Design

• Study Type: Interventional
• Actual Enrollment: 23 participants
• Allocation: N/A
• Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)
• Primary Purpose: Other
• Official Title: Analysis of Kinematical and Muscular Fatigue in Long Distance Swimmers
• Actual Study Start Date: Feb 1, 2022
• Actual Primary Completion Date: Mar 1, 2022
• Actual Study Completion Date: Aug 1, 2023

Arms and Interventions

Arm	Intervention/Treatment
Experimental: swimmers	Other: Swimming Fatigue Task; Swim freestyle at a steady, controlled pace until mechanical failure (i.e., inability to maintain the predetermined speed) is reached.

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

1. Flexor Carpi Radialis muscle activity [up to 10 minutes]

   Electromyographic signal analysis (Root Mean Square)

2. Biceps Brachii muscle activity [up to 10 minutes]

   Electromyographic signal analysis (Root Mean Square)

3. Triceps Brachii caput lateralis muscle activity [up to 10 minutes]

   Electromyographic signal analysis (Root Mean Square)

4. Deltoideus Lateralis muscle activity [up to 10 minutes]

   Electromyographic signal analysis (Root Mean Square)

5. Latissimus Dorsi muscle activity [up to 10 minutes]

   Electromyographic signal analysis (Root Mean Square)

6. Superior Trapezius muscle activity [up to 10 minutes]

   Electromyographic signal analysis (Root Mean Square)

7. Erector Spinae muscle activity [up to 10 minutes]

   Electromyographic signal analysis (Root Mean Square)

8. Pectoralis Major pars clavicularis muscle activity [up to 10 minutes]

   Electromyographic signal analysis (Root Mean Square)

9. Rectus Femoris muscle activity [up to 10 minutes]

   Electromyographic signal analysis (Root Mean Square)

10. Biceps Femoris muscle activity [up to 10 minutes]

    Electromyographic signal analysis (Root Mean Square)

11. Kinematic parameters [up to 10 minutes]

    stroke frequency (time required to complete a stroke cycle)

12. Kinematic parameters [up to 10 minutes]

    stroke length (distance traveled during each stroke cycle))

Secondary Outcome Measures

1. Flexor Carpi Radialis muscle fatigue [up to 10 minutes]

   time-course evolution of the median frequency of the power density spectrum (MF [Hz]) of the sEMG signal

2. Biceps Brachii muscle fatigue [up to 10 minutes]

   time-course evolution of the median frequency of the power density spectrum (MF [Hz]) of the sEMG signal

3. Triceps Brachii caput lateralis muscle fatigue [up to 10 minutes]

   time-course evolution of the median frequency of the power density spectrum (MF [Hz]) of the sEMG signal

4. Deltoideus Lateralis muscle fatigue [up to 10 minutes]

   time-course evolution of the median frequency of the power density spectrum (MF [Hz]) of the sEMG signal

5. Latissimus Dorsi muscle fatigue [up to 10 minutes]

   time-course evolution of the median frequency of the power density spectrum (MF [Hz]) of the sEMG signal

6. Superior Trapezius muscle fatigue [up to 10 minutes]

   time-course evolution of the median frequency of the power density spectrum (MF [Hz]) of the sEMG signal

7. Erector Spinae muscle fatigue [up to 10 minutes]

   time-course evolution of the median frequency of the power density spectrum (MF [Hz]) of the sEMG signal

8. Pectoralis Major pars clavicularis muscle fatigue [up to 10 minutes]

   time-course evolution of the median frequency of the power density spectrum (MF [Hz]) of the sEMG signal

9. Rectus Femoris muscle fatigue [up to 10 minutes]

   time-course evolution of the median frequency of the power density spectrum (MF [Hz]) of the sEMG signal

10. Biceps Femoris muscle fatigue [up to 10 minutes]

    time-course evolution of the median frequency of the power density spectrum (MF [Hz]) of the sEMG signal

Eligibility Criteria

Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 16 Years to 24 Years
• Sexes Eligible for Study: All
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Middle- or long-distance swimmer specializing in front crawl

2. At least 3 years of experience in international competition

3. Daily use of flashing light for pace control in aerobic, anaerobic threshold and maximum oxygen consumption training.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Presence of muscle pain or soreness that could prevent the athlete from performing at their best

Contacts and Locations

Locations

	Site	City	State	Country	Postal Code
1	Università degli Studi di Genova	Genova		Italy	16122

Sponsors and Collaborators

• Universita degli Studi di Genova

Investigators

None specified.

Study Documents (Full-Text)

None provided.

More Information

Publications

None provided.

• Responsible Party: Luca Puce, Principal Investigator, Universita degli Studi di Genova
• ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06069440
• Other Study ID Numbers: DINOGMI-2023
• First Posted: Oct 5, 2023
• Last Update Posted: Oct 5, 2023
• Last Verified: Oct 1, 2023

• Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement: No
• Plan to Share IPD: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: No
• Keywords provided by Luca Puce, Principal Investigator, Universita degli Studi di Genova: muscle fatigue; Neuromuscular Strategy; performance; sEMG; swimming
• Additional relevant MeSH terms: Fatigue

Study Results

No Results Posted as of Oct 5, 2023