Comparison of Classical Kinematics, Entropy, and Fractal Properties As Measures of Complexity of the Motor System in Swimming

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the non-linear properties of the four competitive swim strokes. Sixty-eight swimmers performed a set of maximal 4 × 25 m using the four competitive swim strokes. The hip's speed-data as a function of time was collected with a speedo-meter. The speed fluctuation (dv), approximate entropy (ApEn) and the fractal dimension by Higuchi's method (D) were computed. Swimming data exhibited non-linear properties that were different among the four strokes (14.048 ≤ dv ≤ 39.722; 0.682 ≤ ApEn ≤ 1.025; 1.823 ≤ D ≤ 1.919). The ApEn showed the lowest value for front-crawl, followed by breaststroke, butterfly, and backstroke (P < 0.001). Fractal dimension and dv had the lowest values for front-crawl and backstroke, followed by butterfly and breaststroke (P < 0.001). It can be concluded that swimming data exhibits non-linear properties, which are different among the four competitive swimming strokes.

Contribution of limbs’ actions to the four competitive swimming strokes: a nonlinear approach

“…The significant main effect of swimming stroke on FD verified in the present study is in accordance with the scarce literature Barbosa, Goh, Morais, Costa, & Pendergast, 2016). Adding on to their findings, in our work, the swim strokes with higher FD in their swimming patterns, and therefore with a more complex behavior, are the same, independently of sex, expertise and swimming condition: breaststroke followed by butterfly, front crawl and backstroke (the exception is the LK condition, having butterfly the highest FD).…”

“…the more complex and irregular the behavior is. The FD varies according to the swim stroke and the level of expertise Barbosa, Goh, Morais, Costa, & Pendergast, 2016). This study is a follow-up providing evidence that the variations in nonlinear parameters are also dependent on the number of limbs in action, which confirmed the tested hypothesis.…”

“…These results ranged between 0.202≤SampEn≤0.581 (boys' breaststroke LK and boys' front-crawl FS, respectively). The values obtained in the FS condition, in the four swim strokes, were slightly lower than those found in the few research that computed the entropy of human swimming Barbosa, Goh, Morais, Costa, & Pendergast, 2016). However, different algorithms return slightly different outcomes which could explain the difference in the order of the strokes' entropy.…”

The changes in classical and nonlinear parameters after a maximal bout to elicit fatigue in competitive swimming

“…Recent papers reported that swimming exhibits nonlinear proprieties but its magnitude differs according to the swim stroke performed (14.048 ≤ dv ≤ 39.722; 0.682 ≤ ApEn ≤ 1.025; 1.823 ≤ FD ≤ 1.919) (Barbosa, Goh, Morais, Costa, & Pendergast, 2016). Of the four swim strokes, front-crawl showed the lowest dv, ApEn and FD (Barbosa et al, 2016). The complexity of the swimming technique also varies depending on the level of expertise.…”

Análise da força de mordida, atividade eletromiográfica e espessura dos músculos masseter e temporal em nadadores de elite - modalidade Crawl

“…O nado crawl é considerado a modalidade de maior rapidez entre os quatro tipos de nados competitivos e exercita quase todos os grupos musculares do corpo humano (Jakovljevic;McConnell, 2009;Zamparo et al, 2017). Neste esporte, a parte primordial do controle corporal é a respiração que deve ser eficaz, suave e automática e o nadador de elite tem que trabalhar com equilíbrio a respiração nas três fases: apneia, expiração e inspiração (Cardelli et al, 2000;Cardeli, 2003;Barbosa et al, 2016;Woorons et al, 2016).…”