title: Influence of foot-stretcher height on rowing technique and performance.
abstract: Strength, technique, and coordination are crucial to rowing performance, but external interventions such as foot-stretcher set-up can fine-tune technique and optimise power output. For the same resultant force, raising the height of foot-stretchers on a rowing ergometer theoretically alters the orientation of the resultant force vector in favour of the horizontal component. This study modified foot-stretcher heights and examined their instantaneous effect on foot forces and rowing technique. Ten male participants rowed at four foot-stretcher heights on an ergometer that measured handle force, stroke length, and vertical and horizontal foot forces. Rowers were instrumented with motion sensors to measure ankle, knee, hip, and lumbar-pelvic kinematics. Key resultant effects of increased foot-stretcher heights included progressive reductions in horizontal foot force, stroke length, and pelvis range of motion. Raising foot-stretcher height did not increase the horizontal component of foot force as previously speculated. The reduced ability to anteriorly rotate the pelvis at the front of the stroke may be a key obstacle in gaining benefits from raised foot-stretcher heights. This study shows that small changes in athlete set-up can influence ergometer rowing technique, and rowers must individually fine-tune their foot-stretcher height to optimise power transfer through the rowing stroke on an ergometer.
authors.affiliation: a Human Performance Laboratory, Faculty of Kinesiology , University of Calgary , Calgary , Canada.
authors.forename: Erica M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Buckeridge
authors.affiliation: b Centre for Health Sciences Research, School of Health Sciences , University of Salford , Manchester , UK.
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Weinert-Aplin
authors.affiliation: c Faculty of Engineering, Department of Bioengineering , Imperial College London , London , UK.
authors.forename: Anthony M J
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Bull
authors.affiliation: d Faculty of Medicine, Department of Surgery & Cancer , Imperial College London , London , UK.
authors.forename: Alison H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: McGregor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000842:Ankle / Q000502:physiology; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D016552:Ergometry; D005528:Foot / Q000502:physiology*; D006615:Hip / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007717:Knee / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*; D019876:Sports Equipment
keywords: Lumbar–pelvic; inverse dynamics; kinematics; motion analysis