Position of arm and forearm, and elbow flexion during performance of the sculling technique: Technical recommendation versus actual performance

Sculling motion is a swimming technique executed in a vertical position with the head above the water's surface and, based on the technical recommendation, should be performed maintaining an elbow flexion angle of 90°, arms kept stationary while the forearms move. In order to verify if this recommendation is indeed realistic, the aim of this study was to describe the elbow flexion angle ant its angular velocity, linear speed and range of motion of the shoulder, elbow and wrist during the sculling motion. Data were calculated using three-dimensional kinematic process from underwater video images of ten athletes of synchronized swimming. The results indicate that the arm is relatively stationary and the forearm moves, which agrees with the technical recommendation. However, the elbow flexes and extends, which contradicts the technical recommendation. These findings should be considered when this action is practiced, especially in synchronized swimming, in which sculling motion is a fundamental technique.

划桨式划水动作（sculling motion）是一种以垂直姿态完成的游泳技术，此时头部露出水面；根据行业技术规范，该动作需保持肘关节屈曲角度为90°，手臂整体保持静止，仅前臂进行运动。为验证该技术规范的合理性，本研究旨在描述划桨式划水动作过程中，肘关节的屈曲角度、角速度，以及肩、肘、腕关节的线速度与活动范围。研究数据通过对10名花样游泳（synchronized swimming）运动员的水下视频影像开展三维运动学分析计算获得。研究结果显示，手臂整体相对静止、前臂完成运动，这与原技术规范相符；但肘关节同时存在屈曲与伸展动作，这与原技术规范相悖。在练习该动作时，尤其是在划桨式划水动作作为核心技术的花样游泳项目中，本研究结果应被纳入实践参考范畴。