Ninth International Conference on Sport & Society

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify postural factors that negatively affect cardiovascular performance in Division II collegiate swimmers. Seventeen Division II collegiate swimmers (age 19.7 ± 1.3 years; height 176.9 ± 8.63 cm; mass 74.1 ± 8.48 kg) completed an overhead squat analysis, 2-miunte maximum wall sit, and 2-miunte maximum plank prior to completing a mock-style swim meet. After maximal exertion, heart rate, and blood SpO2 oxygen saturation arterial hemoglobin levels were captured. RESULTS: Total number of muscular imbalances, upper body and lower body muscular imbalances combined (r = 0.86, μ 7 ± 3.5, N 14). Lower body postural factors did not significantly (r ≥ 0.95), however it had multiple meaningful relationships which affected cardiovascular response (lower crossed syndrome: r = 0.71, μ 0.44 ± 0.51, N 7). Upper body postural factors did not significantly (r ≥ 0.95) or meaningfully affect cardiovascular response. Key indications of posture distortions were prevalent within the lower body, which lead to a higher than normal onset of lower crossed syndrome. Correcting these muscular imbalances may lead to improvement to cardiovascular response, however small, can be the difference. In swimming, every .01 of a second counts.