Original Research Article
Year: 2021 | Month: August | Volume: 11 | Issue: 8 | Pages: 202-210
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20210830
Assessment of Static and Dynamic Balance in Swimmers
Kunal Varma1, Priyanka Gokhale2
1Physiotherapist, DPO’s NETT College of Physiotherapy, Thane, Maharashtra, India.
2Assistant Professor DPO’s NETT College of Physiotherapy, Thane, Maharashtra, India.
Corresponding Author: Kunal Varma
ABSTRACT
Background: Swimming can be defined as an activity in which a person practices a regulated Olympic sport in order to move as fast as possible through the water due to the propulsive forces generated by arm, leg, and body movements overcoming the resistance of water. Swimming is performed in either a supine or prone position with a bilaterally-symmetric motion and is influenced by buoyancy. In other words, it is nearly unaffected by gravity and requires the same muscle exertion of both the right and left extremities. Balance is considered to be an important component of motor performance tasks. It is controlled by the central nervous system with the help of input from the visual, tactile, proprioceptive and vestibular systems (5) Balance can be defined as a condition during which the body's center-of-gravity (COG) is maintained within its base of support (BOS).
Methodology: In this study, 50 Competitive swimmers were included. 36 Male and 14 Female, with a mean age, height and weight of 22.68 years, 175.56 cm and 70.94 kg respectively. Each had a swimming career more than 5 years, Training at least 5 days a week for 2 hours or more with an average of 10.12 years, 5.54 days a week for 2.68 hour training sessions. Static Balance was assessed using Balance Error Scoring System where the subjects were asked to stand with their eyes closed for 20 seconds in 6 Different Positions and the number of errors made were noted. Dynamic Balance was assessed using Star Excursion Balance Test were, a Star was marked on the ground to have 8 directions. The subject stood in the center of the star and had to reach as far as they could in each direction. This distance from the middle to the point of contact of their toe was noted and relative distance was calculated using Limb Length. The Results of both the test was compared with the normal data present.
Result: The result of the test done to evaluate static balance; BESS showed that out of 50 participants 19 had superior balance, 18 had above average balance and 13 had broadly normal balance and the errors on the firm surface and soft surface had a mean and standard deviation of 2 ± 1.12 and 4.1±1.31 respectively. On the other hand, the test done to evaluate dynamic balance; SEBT showed that in each direction on an average the swimmer could reach 119.21±8.39 % relative distance in each direction.
Conclusion: Different tests were conducted in the study to understand if competitive swimmers are somehow weak in terms of static and dynamic balance. The entire study is based on the effectiveness of maintaining and enhancing the static and dynamic stability among the swimmers. This study concludes that competitive swimmers have Superior Static and Dynamic Balance because of strong core muscles used to keep their body streamlined during swimming and good flexibility and neuromuscular feedback.
Key words: Balance, Swimmers, Star Excursion Balance test (SEBT), Balance Error Scoring System (BESS).