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Background Mental health issues are becoming increasingly prevalent among elite athletes, and during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, this issue became a pressing concern. In particular, several athletes complained about their mental health in relation to the highly demanding demands of their sport. High-performance swimming exposes athletes to a variety of stressors due to the physical, technical and mental demands of the sport. The study has carried out a narrative review of the main variables related to mental health, their dimensions and evaluations in competitive swimmers. Methods Clearly planned and ordered potential studies were identified using combined search methods. The search was carried out in different bibliographic databases (Dialnet, Web of Science and Scopus) between 1990 and 2023. Google Scholar was used to manually search the reference lists of the retrieved studies to identify potentially eligible studies that were not included in the electronic searches. The studies were examined from three different perspectives. Firstly, the methodology, sample, swimming categories and their relationship with mental health were analysed. Secondly, the variables related to mental health symptoms and disorders. Finally, the main mental health analysis tools and the conclusions of the studies. Results The concept of mental health in competitive swimmers needs to be clarified in the scientific literature, as different variables have been analysed and multiple instruments have been used with small samples of swimmers, without any intervention and prevention protocol. In addition, the bodies and institutions involved should work in an interdisciplinary and collaborative manner, establishing specific programmes to ensure effective prevention and care. Conclusions Studies are needed to fill this gap and it is necessary to work under the same consensus and in collaboration with specified technical teams. In order to monitor, evaluate and provide services through detection tests and support to swimmers in their training and competitions.

Repetitive practice can become an exploratory activity where instruction and discovery are linked, allowing instruction and guidance through tasks that help to construct and acquire the knowledge and skills that make up the content. (1) Background: The aim of the study was to show how a teaching method based on guided discovery would affect the teaching of children’s aquatic competence in schoolchildren with different levels of competence. (2) Methods: An observational study was conducted with 385 schoolchildren (195 boys and 189 girls) aged 3–5 years belonging to a charter kindergarten, using an Instrument for the Measurement of Aquatic Competence in Children (SMACC) consisting of 17 items grouped into three dimensions: socio-affective, cognitive, and motor. (3) Results: After measuring aquatic competence, all age groups and all variables (motor, cognitive, and socio-affective) showed differences between pre- and post-scores and a high magnitude of effect size. When the teaching intervention was analyzed according to the level of aquatic competence of the age group, improvements were found in all variables in both the low and high-competence groups. (4) Conclusions: This study describes how guided discovery instruction has equal effects at different levels of proficiency. Furthermore, when this type of instruction was used, aquatic competence was explained not only by the motor and socio-affective dimensions but also by the cognitive variable.

Background Mental health issues are becoming increasingly prevalent among elite athletes, and during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, this issue became a pressing concern. In particular, several athletes complained about their mental health in relation to the highly demanding demands of their sport. High-performance swimming exposes athletes to a variety of stressors due to the physical, technical and mental demands of the sport. The study has carried out a narrative review of the main variables related to mental health, their dimensions and evaluations in competitive swimmers. Methods Clearly planned and ordered potential studies were identified using combined search methods. The search was carried out in different bibliographic databases (Dialnet, Web of Science and Scopus) between 1990 and 2023. Google Scholar was used to manually search the reference lists of the retrieved studies to identify potentially eligible studies that were not included in the electronic searches. The studies were examined from three different perspectives. Firstly, the methodology, sample, swimming categories and their relationship with mental health were analysed. Secondly, the variables related to mental health symptoms and disorders. Finally, the main mental health analysis tools and the conclusions of the studies. Results The concept of mental health in competitive swimmers needs to be clarified in the scientific literature, as different variables have been analysed and multiple instruments have been used with small samples of swimmers, without any intervention and prevention protocol. In addition, the bodies and institutions involved should work in an interdisciplinary and collaborative manner, establishing specific programmes to ensure effective prevention and care. Conclusions Studies are needed to fill this gap and it is necessary to work under the same consensus and in collaboration with specified technical teams. In order to monitor, evaluate and provide services through detection tests and support to swimmers in their training and competitions.

Background: During the repetitive execution of the swimming strokes, the muscles responsible for the internal rotations of the shoulders tend to become stronger compared to the muscles that oppose these movements. The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of a strengthening program for the shoulder rotator muscles using elastic band exercises in a diagonal Kabat pattern (D2 for flexion) in swimmers, to develop an effective, quick and easy-to-implement protocol for preventive training routines.Methods: A randomized controlled trial design was carried out. Internal and external rotation range of movement, isometric strength of the muscles responsible for internal and external rotation of the shoulder, scapular movements, was measured at the beginning of the study and after 8 weeks post-intervention. A total of 22 male swimmers participated in the study and were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 11) or a control group (n = 11). The experimental group underwent a 8-week shoulder-strength program using elastic bands, while the control group focused on aquatic training.Results: The strength-training program resulted in an improvement in the isometric strength of the muscles responsible for external rotation and a better balance between the shoulder rotator muscles in the experimental group. However, these improvements have not been significant (p > 0.05).Conclusion: The strengthening exercise program showed minimal improvement in shoulder rotation strength and range of motion. These findings suggest that the prescribed shoulder-strengthening exercise could be a quick-beneficial dry-land training option to improve external rotation shoulder strength or range of motion, but more studies with larger sample sizes and more weeks of treatment are needed to determine the efficacy of this protocol.

IntroductionThe objective of this paper is to study the research trends in the sport modality of artistic swimming and to analyse the scientific production regarding this sport.MethodsTwo hundred and twenty articles related to the theme were selected after a search in the PubMed, SPORTDiscus and Web of Science databases and some additional records, using the theme “synchronised swimming OR artistic swimming” up to December 2022. The variables scrutinized were the following: (1) title, (2) discipline, (3) type, (4) sample size and (5) sporting level.ResultsThe results indicate that (1) 53.6% of the artistic swimming articles were case studies, (2) 23.2% talked about physiology, (3) 32.7% had a sample of 11–50 participants, and (4) 30.9% of the sample was elite/international swimmers.DiscussionOver the years there has been a considerable increase in studies on artistic swimming; the topics of greatest interest in artistic swimming have been physiology, sports performance and injuries. Even so, it seems that for the moment artistic swimming has little impact, probably due to its status as a minority sport and it having limited social and economic impact.

Objective: The aim of this investigation was to compare the thickness of the deep local muscles in the neck region, as well as local and widespread sensitivity and functionality, between individuals with migraine and healthy control subjects. Methods: An observational study was carried out in accordance with the STROBE statements. The flexor longus colli and multifidus, two neck-stabilizing muscles, were measured using B-mode ultrasound imaging. The upper trapezius, masseter, temporalis, anterior tibialis, and median nerve all underwent bilateral pressure-pain threshold (PPT) assessments. The statistical program SPSS 29.0 was used to implement the Mann–Whitney U test and Chi-squared test. Spearman Rho was utilized to establish the correlations between the variables. Results: Sixty participants were enrolled in the study. The subjects, who were matched in terms of age, gender, and body mass index (BMI), were equally divided into migraine and control groups. No significant differences between the groups were found in the multifidus CSA regarding both sides at rest (right: p = 0.625; left: p = 0.203). However, in contraction, the multifidus CSA showed a significant decrease on the left side in the patients with migraine compared to the controls (p = 0.032), but no significant differences were found in the right multifidus CSA in contraction between the two groups (p = 0.270). In comparison to the healthy volunteers, the migraine sufferers showed a substantial reduction in CSA in the longus colli muscle on both the left side (p = 0.001) and the right side at rest (p = 0.003), as well as in the CSA of the left longus colli in contraction (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the migraine patients showed significantly lower PPT compared to the healthy subjects in local and widespread areas bilaterally. All the parameters revealed higher sensitization in the migraine group in the following areas: the right and left temporal regions (p < 0.001), the right and left upper trapezius (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively), the right and left masseter muscles (p < 0.01), the right and left median nerves (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively), and the right and left anterior tibialis muscles (p < 0.001). In terms of the craniocervical flexion test (CCFT), the migraine patients demonstrated significantly lower values than the healthy subjects (p < 0.001). A moderate positive correlation was noted between the PPT in the right temporalis muscle and that in the left longus colli and the right multifidus in contraction. The PPT in the right temporalis muscle also exhibited a positive correlation with the CCFT, although this correlation was low. Between the PPT values, the upper trapezius on both sides showed a moderate positive correlation with the median nerve bilaterally. Conclusions: This research suggests that individuals with migraine may experience local and widespread pain sensitization. A decrease in functionality due to the low muscle endurance of the deep cervical muscles is also accompanied by low values of muscle thickness in contraction. These findings may help to select more accurate treatment approaches for patients with migraine.

The aims of this study were to analyse the differences in anger levels in single and collective sports, and to know if there are any differences in anger levels depending on international successes. The study was conducted in an accidental and cross sampling, in which 366 athletes from different sports were taken (32.78% individual sports and 67.21% collective sports). In order to measure the different variables were taken, an ad hoc Sociodemographic questionnaire, the Oviedo Scale of Infrequency Response and the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory. The results of the U Mann Whitney test and linear regression showed higher anger levels in collective athletes in: temperament, external anger expression, internal anger expression and anger expression index, whereas, individual athletes had greater external control of anger. It was concluded that single athletes have lower anger levels and greater external anger control, than collective athletes. Furthermore, there are no differences in anger levels between the two distinct athlete’s groups considering the rate of sporting success. Keywords: Emotion; anger; mood; sport; sport performance.

(1) Background: The aim of the present research is to describe the kinematic characteristics of push start in competitive swimmers and to examine the role of the push start sub-phases on the overall start performance. (2) Methods: Seventy-four swimmers (33 males and 41 females) of national and international level performed one 25 m trial at maximum velocity with a push start at butterfly, backstroke and/or front-crawl techniques and were filmed with two sequential underwater cameras during the glide, leg kicking, transition and surface swimming phases. (3) Results: Backstroke starts showed greater emersion distances but slower times to 10 m than the remaining strokes. Distances and average velocities in each of the start sub-phases predicted the overall push start performance (times to 10 m) on the butterfly (R2: 0.50) and backstroke (R2: 0.58) strokes, with the velocity of the leg kicking phase having a statistical effect on both regression analysis and the glide and transition phases in backstroke. (4) Conclusions: Push starts performed in a dorsal body position seemed to present kinematic differences with ventral techniques and a greater technical complexity with all glide, leg kicking and transition sub-phases meaningfully impacting the overall push start performance. This should be considered when executing the daily training repetitions with swimmers in water.

The primary goal of the present research was to determine the order of swimmers on a mixed relay team that would ensure the best performance in the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) World Championships held in Kazan (Russia, 2015), Budapest (Hungary, 2017), and Gwangju (South Korea, 2019). The data were obtained from database websites for the 4 × 100 m freestyle and 4 × 100 m medley official results,1 including 660 records from 188 entries of finals and 472 preliminary events. The results showed that the fastest swimmers (according to their best season times) were located primarily in the first or second positions of the freestyle relay. The most successful gender strategy for the 4 × 100 m freestyle (57 out of 82 observations) and for the 4 × 100 m medley (29 out of 83) relays was the order male-male-female-female, although no statistical differences were found (p = 0.79) for the medley relays. In the 4 × 100 m freestyle, the second (p = 0.002; β = 1.62) and third (p =0.003; β = 1.41) relay legs had a statistical effect on the total relay time, whereas in the 4 × 100 m medley, all four relay legs had a statistical effect (p < 0.001) on the final performance, the weight of the four strokes being different in heats with respect to the final round. Also, a later position of the first female swimmer or the consecutive position of two female swimmers in the team order significantly affected the relay performance in specific events. Mixed relay events appeared to present specific strategies in comparison to traditional male- or female-only relay lineups.

The goal of this research was to review the experimental studies that have analyzed the influence of “high-speed swimsuits” on sports performance up to the appearance of the model “Jammer” in competitive swimmers. The design was a review following PRISMA Methodology, in which 43 studies were reviewed of a total of 512. Several searches were conducted in electronic databases of the existing research in this field (Google Scholar, Dialnet, Web of Sciences, and Scopus). The only studies excluded were those that reviewed the effects with neoprene and tests with triathletes. The studies that were included were published and peer-reviewed from 1999 to 2018 in which the effect of high-speed swimsuits was analyzed. The results showed the possible effects that high-speed swimwear can have in relation or not to competitive performance, biomechanical, physiological and psychological factors, flotation, drag, the material and the design until the introduction of the model “Jammer.” As conclusions, the lack of consensus due to the variety of fields of study means that improvements in competitions are still not clarified. In addition, the change in the rules may have effects on swimmers even though they have beaten records with other swimwear. Finally, the debate concerning whether medals were won unfairly or not is proposed.

The aims of the study were to identify coach profiles and examine whether participants from distinct profiles significantly differed on burnout, emotions, and coping or not. A sample of 268 athletes (Mage = 29.34; SD = 12.37) completed a series of self-reported questionnaires. Cluster analyses revealed two coach leadership profiles: (a) profile 1 with high scores of training and instruction, authoritarian behavior, social support, and positive feedback, and a low score of democratic behavior; and (b) profile 2 with low levels in training and instruction, authoritarian behavior, social support, and positive feedback and high levels in democratic behavior. Results of Multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs) indicated significant differences across coach profiles on reduced accomplishment, sport devaluation, happiness and seeking support and marginal differences on dejection, logical analysis, imagery/thought control, and excitement. Moreover, coach leadership profiles were not confounded by demographic variables (level of competition, gender, age, number of practice hours, professional versus no professional athletes). As a conclusion, the profile approach offered a holistic way to examine coach leadership in sport as two distinct coach profiles emerged from the cluster analyses with an unexpected combination of coach leadership dimensions.

Despite the increasing importance of the underwater segment of start and turns in competition and its positive influence on the subsequent surface swimming, there is no evidence on how the transition from underwater to surface swimming should be performed. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the role of segmental, kinematic and coordinative parameters on the swimming velocity during the pre-transition and transition phases. A total of 30 national male swimmers performed 4 × 25 m (one each stroke) from a push start at maximum velocity while recorded from a lateral view by two sequential cameras (50 Hz), and their kinematic and coordinative swimming parameters were calculated by means of two-dimensional direct linear transformation (DLT) algorithms. Unlike pre-transition, backward regression analysis of transition significantly predicted swimming velocity in all strokes except breaststroke (R2 ranging from 0.263 in front crawl to 0.364 in butterfly). The inter-limb coordination was a predictor in butterfly stroke (p = 0.006), whereas the body depth and inclination were predictors in the alternate strokes (front crawl (p = 0.05) and backstroke (p = 0.04)). These results suggest that the body position and coordinative swimming parameters (apart from kicking or stroking rate and length) have an important influence on the transition performance, which depends on the swimming strokes.

Este estudio ha tenido como objetivo analizar las diferencias en los indicadores de rendimiento de las pruebas finales de 50, 100 y 200 metros estilo libre. Se analizaron 384 nadadores pertenecientes a los Campeonatos Europeos de Natación en piscina de 25 y 50 metros. Se utilizaron diferentes variables de tipo: tiempo, velocidad, frecuencia de ciclo, longitud de ciclo e índice de nado, realizándose un análisis comparativo según género, pruebas y piscinas. Los resultados mostraron que los hombres fueron más rápidos, teniendo menores tiempos y niveles de frecuencia en las pruebas de 200 m. En cambio, las mujeres mostraron inferiores valores en las longitudes e índices de ciclo en las pruebas de 100 y 200 m. En la comparación entre piscinas, existen diferencias significativas en los tiempos finales, velocidades parciales y frecuencias de ciclos en la prueba de 200 m. Y finalmente, en las medias comparadas en función de la pruebas, existieron diferencias significativas en todos los indicadores, excepto en el índice de nado.

Background Mental health issues are becoming increasingly prevalent among elite athletes, and during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, this issue became a pressing concern. In particular, several athletes complained about their mental health in relation to the highly demanding demands of their sport. High-performance swimming exposes athletes to a variety of stressors due to the physical, technical and mental demands of the sport. The study has carried out a narrative review of the main variables related to mental health, their dimensions and evaluations in competitive swimmers. Methods Clearly planned and ordered potential studies were identified using combined search methods. The search was carried out in different bibliographic databases (Dialnet, Web of Science and Scopus) between 1990 and 2023. Google Scholar was used to manually search the reference lists of the retrieved studies to identify potentially eligible studies that were not included in the electronic searches. The studies were examined from three different perspectives. Firstly, the methodology, sample, swimming categories and their relationship with mental health were analysed. Secondly, the variables related to mental health symptoms and disorders. Finally, the main mental health analysis tools and the conclusions of the studies. Results The concept of mental health in competitive swimmers needs to be clarified in the scientific literature, as different variables have been analysed and multiple instruments have been used with small samples of swimmers, without any intervention and prevention protocol. In addition, the bodies and institutions involved should work in an interdisciplinary and collaborative manner, establishing specific programmes to ensure effective prevention and care. Conclusions Studies are needed to fill this gap and it is necessary to work under the same consensus and in collaboration with specified technical teams. In order to monitor, evaluate and provide services through detection tests and support to swimmers in their training and competitions.

Background Mental health issues are becoming increasingly prevalent among elite athletes, and during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, this issue became a pressing concern. In particular, several athletes complained about their mental health in relation to the highly demanding demands of their sport. High-performance swimming exposes athletes to a variety of stressors due to the physical, technical and mental demands of the sport. The study has carried out a narrative review of the main variables related to mental health, their dimensions and evaluations in competitive swimmers. Methods Clearly planned and ordered potential studies were identified using combined search methods. The search was carried out in different bibliographic databases (Dialnet, Web of Science and Scopus) between 1990 and 2023. Google Scholar was used to manually search the reference lists of the retrieved studies to identify potentially eligible studies that were not included in the electronic searches. The studies were examined from three different perspectives. Firstly, the methodology, sample, swimming categories and their relationship with mental health were analysed. Secondly, the variables related to mental health symptoms and disorders. Finally, the main mental health analysis tools and the conclusions of the studies. Results The concept of mental health in competitive swimmers needs to be clarified in the scientific literature, as different variables have been analysed and multiple instruments have been used with small samples of swimmers, without any intervention and prevention protocol. In addition, the bodies and institutions involved should work in an interdisciplinary and collaborative manner, establishing specific programmes to ensure effective prevention and care. Conclusions Studies are needed to fill this gap and it is necessary to work under the same consensus and in collaboration with specified technical teams. In order to monitor, evaluate and provide services through detection tests and support to swimmers in their training and competitions.

Background: Mental health issues are becoming increasingly prevalent among elite athletes, and during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, this issue became a pressing concern. In particular, several athletes complained about their mental health in relation to the highly demanding demands of their sport. High-performance swimming exposes athletes to a variety of stressors due to the physical, technical and mental demands of the sport. The study has carried out a narrative review of the main variables related to mental health, their dimensions and evaluations in competitive swimmers. Methods: Clearly planned and ordered potential studies were identified using combined search methods. The search was carried out in different bibliographic databases (Dialnet, Web of Science and Scopus) between 1990 and 2023. We then searched Google Scholar and manually searched the reference lists of the retrieved studies to identify potentially eligible studies that were not included in the electronic searches. The studies were examined from three different perspectives. Firstly, the methodology, sample, swimming categories and their relationship with mental health were analysed. Secondly, the variables related to mental health symptoms and disorders. Finally, the main mental health analysis tools and the conclusions of the studies. Results: The concept of mental health in competitive swimmers needs to be clarified in the scientific literature, as different variables have been analysed and multiple instruments have been used with small samples of swimmers, without any intervention and prevention protocol. In addition, the bodies and institutions involved should work in an interdisciplinary and collaborative manner, establishing specific programmes to ensure effective prevention and care. Conclusions: Studies are needed to fill this gap and it is necessary to work under the same consensus and in collaboration with specified technical teams. In order to monitor, evaluate and provide services through detection tests and support to swimmers in their training and competitions.

This study examines the differences in performance indicators for the 50, 100 and 200 metre freestyle finals. 384 swimmers at the European Swimming Championships in 25 and 50 metre swimming pools were analysed. A range of variables were used including time, speed, cycle frequency, cycle length and swimming rate, performing comparative analysis by gender, races and pools. The results showed that men were faster, with lower times and frequency levels in 200 m races. By contrast, women presented lower values in cycle lengths and rates in the 100 and 200 m races. In the comparison between pools, there are significant differences in final times, interval speeds and cycle frequencies in the 200 m races. Finally, there were significant differences in all indicators, except for the swimming rate, in the comparative averages depending on the races. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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