Kinematic, arm-stroke efficiency, coordination, and energetic parameters of the 400-m front-crawl test: A meta-analysis

• Main Authors: Ricardo de Assis Correia (Author), Wellington Gomes Feitosa (Author), Flávio Antônio de Souza Castro (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A., 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 2624-9367; 10.3389/fspor.2023.977739
• Keywords: swimming; biomechanics; systematic review; performance; middle-distance; Sports; GV557-1198.995
• Source: Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, Vol 5 (2023)

Several studies have investigated biomechanical and energetic parameters in competitive swimming. Among these studies, it is possible to identify the 400-m front crawl as a useful test to assess these parameters. The present study provided a meta-analysis assessing representative variables for the kinematic, arm-stroke efficiency, coordination, and energetic parameters of the 400-m front crawl test. PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and SPORTDiscus were the databases used to select the studies published between January 1970 and December 2022. Forty studies (n = 651 swimmers) were selected according to the eligibility and inclusion criteria. The variables chosen to represent each parameter were: clean swim speed (kinematics); index of coordination (coordination); arm-stroke efficiency (efficiency); and oxygen consumption (energetic). Swimming speed was moderate (1.34 m s−1) compared to the world's records performers. Thus, this speed contributed for the swimmers in remaining at high efficiency (35%), imposing a capture coordination model (index of coordination: −11%) with high oxygen consumption (58.8 ml·kg−1 min−1). High heterogeneity (>75%) was found among the outcome parameters in the studies. The different average speeds that represented the kinematic parameters seem to be the most responsible and influential in the arm-stroke efficiency, coordination, and energetic parameters for high 400-m freestyle (front crawl) performance. This meta-analysis can help researchers, coaches, and swimmers improving competitive performance, and developing further research in the sports sciences area, specifically in the swimming.