Inter-limb symmetry at simultaneous and alternated arms flexion by the elbow during water fitness sessions

• Autor(a) principal: Santos, Catarina C.
• Data de Publicação: 2020
• Outros Autores: Barbosa, Tiago M., Bartolomeu, Raúl Filipe, Garrido, Nuno D., Costa, M.J.
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10198/23023
• topic: Water-based exercise; Segmental action; Coordination; Asymmetries; Older adults

The aim was to compare the inter-limb symmetry between alternated and simultaneous arms flexion during water fitness sessions. Twenty-three elderly women were recruited to perform flexion by the elbow with di erent mechanical strategies: (a) simultaneous and (b) alternated. An incremental protocol was used, with four music cadences, starting at 105 beats per minute up to 150. The peak force of dominant and non-dominant upper-limbs was retrieved. A symmetry index (SI, %) was also used to quantify coordination. There were significant variations in force produced by the dominant and non-dominant limbs in most of the cadences in the alternated or simultaneous actions. Differences with a medium e ect between upper-limbs were shown when moving simultaneously indicating that an alternated movement can be a more proper strategy to work with. Despite that, both strategies seemed to be characterized by an asymmetric pattern (SI from 20 to 30%), requiring full attention from water fitness practitioners.