Morphofunctional Characteristics of the Foot and Ankle in Competitive Swimmers and Their Association with Muscle Pain
The aim of this study was to analyze the joint characteristics of the foot and ankle in competitive swimmers aged 16–18 and 19–24 years and their relationship with the presence of muscle pain during swimming. A total of 74 swimmers were evaluated: 38 ‘junior’ (16–18 years) and 36 ‘senior’ (19–24 yea...
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2025-03-01
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| author | Cristina Jiménez-Braganza Antonia Sáez-Díaz Pedro Vicente Munuera-Martínez |
| author_facet | Cristina Jiménez-Braganza Antonia Sáez-Díaz Pedro Vicente Munuera-Martínez |
| author_sort | Cristina Jiménez-Braganza |
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| description | The aim of this study was to analyze the joint characteristics of the foot and ankle in competitive swimmers aged 16–18 and 19–24 years and their relationship with the presence of muscle pain during swimming. A total of 74 swimmers were evaluated: 38 ‘junior’ (16–18 years) and 36 ‘senior’ (19–24 years). The following parameters were recorded: ankle dorsiflexion, rearfoot mobility, first metatarsophalangeal dorsiflexion, presence of hallux valgus, foot posture, first ray mobility, arch height, and plantar pressure. Additionally, the frequency and location of muscle pain in the triceps surae were analyzed. A cluster analysis was performed to identify variables that differentiated both groups. Ankle dorsiflexion was limited in both groups, with a greater restriction observed in adults (<i>p</i> < 0.001 with an extended knee; <i>p</i> < 0.014 with a flexed knee). The predominant foot type was the cavus foot. The most common pain was localized in the triceps surae, followed by the plantar musculature, with no significant differences between groups. Swimmers exhibited gastrocnemius shortening, which could limit ankle dorsiflexion and contribute to the onset of muscle pain in the leg and foot. These findings suggest the importance of incorporating lower limb flexibility strategies into the training of competitive swimmers. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-20347557fe354100b4d7accc46ed326a |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-20347557fe354100b4d7accc46ed326a2025-08-20T03:06:32ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-03-01157375510.3390/app15073755Morphofunctional Characteristics of the Foot and Ankle in Competitive Swimmers and Their Association with Muscle PainCristina Jiménez-Braganza0Antonia Sáez-Díaz1Pedro Vicente Munuera-Martínez2Faculty of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Podiatry. University of Seville, 41009 Seville, SpainDepartment of Statistics, Axioma Comunicaciones, 41016 Seville, SpainFaculty of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Podiatry. University of Seville, 41009 Seville, SpainThe aim of this study was to analyze the joint characteristics of the foot and ankle in competitive swimmers aged 16–18 and 19–24 years and their relationship with the presence of muscle pain during swimming. A total of 74 swimmers were evaluated: 38 ‘junior’ (16–18 years) and 36 ‘senior’ (19–24 years). The following parameters were recorded: ankle dorsiflexion, rearfoot mobility, first metatarsophalangeal dorsiflexion, presence of hallux valgus, foot posture, first ray mobility, arch height, and plantar pressure. Additionally, the frequency and location of muscle pain in the triceps surae were analyzed. A cluster analysis was performed to identify variables that differentiated both groups. Ankle dorsiflexion was limited in both groups, with a greater restriction observed in adults (<i>p</i> < 0.001 with an extended knee; <i>p</i> < 0.014 with a flexed knee). The predominant foot type was the cavus foot. The most common pain was localized in the triceps surae, followed by the plantar musculature, with no significant differences between groups. Swimmers exhibited gastrocnemius shortening, which could limit ankle dorsiflexion and contribute to the onset of muscle pain in the leg and foot. These findings suggest the importance of incorporating lower limb flexibility strategies into the training of competitive swimmers.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/7/3755swimmingfootanklemuscleslower limb |
| spellingShingle | Cristina Jiménez-Braganza Antonia Sáez-Díaz Pedro Vicente Munuera-Martínez Morphofunctional Characteristics of the Foot and Ankle in Competitive Swimmers and Their Association with Muscle Pain Applied Sciences swimming foot ankle muscles lower limb |
| title | Morphofunctional Characteristics of the Foot and Ankle in Competitive Swimmers and Their Association with Muscle Pain |
| title_full | Morphofunctional Characteristics of the Foot and Ankle in Competitive Swimmers and Their Association with Muscle Pain |
| title_fullStr | Morphofunctional Characteristics of the Foot and Ankle in Competitive Swimmers and Their Association with Muscle Pain |
| title_full_unstemmed | Morphofunctional Characteristics of the Foot and Ankle in Competitive Swimmers and Their Association with Muscle Pain |
| title_short | Morphofunctional Characteristics of the Foot and Ankle in Competitive Swimmers and Their Association with Muscle Pain |
| title_sort | morphofunctional characteristics of the foot and ankle in competitive swimmers and their association with muscle pain |
| topic | swimming foot ankle muscles lower limb |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/7/3755 |
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