2.5. Outcomes
Stroke, stroke, pain, tiredness, heaviness, strokes
STROKE, STROKE, LOWER LIMB, UPPER LIMB, STROKES
Perceptions were identified by a pilot study that investigated the swimmers’ specific reports after a strenuous training session and then assembled into a short questionnaire. It consisted of five items (well-being, heaviness, tiredness, discomfort, and pain) rated by a Likert scale from 1–5 (nothing, a little, moderate, a lot, and extremely), and was used both on training and testing sessions.Sprint times were obtained by the coach with a digital chronometer during a 100-m freestyle sprint in a semi-Olympic pool. From this data, we calculated FINA points, an international scoring system to characterize a swimmer’s performance that varies from 0 to 1000. The score was adjusted to an individual’s performance and was calculated as Equation (1), where B is the participant’s best performance on the latest season and T is the sprint time.
Stroke characteristics were derived from the number of strokes (n) and time (t) to swim the central 10 m (d) of the swimming pool. These parameters were assessed by trained researchers that were blinded to the assigned interventions. Swimming velocity (SV), stroke frequency (SF), distance per stroke (DPS), and stroke index (SI) were calculated as follows [Flexibility was assessed by the sit-and-reach (SR) test [Lower limb power was assessed by the squat jump test [Upper limb power was assessed by the bench press by an isoinertial dynamometer (T-force System, Ergotech, Murcia, Spain) attached to a free bar with a fixed weight of 10 kg. Participants laid on a bench with both feet on the ground, lowered the bar slowly to the chest, and then explosively pressed to full arm extension. They were required to keep the head, shoulders, and buttocks in contact with the bench throughout the lift. The test was performed according to the equipment instructions (Shoulder proprioception was assessed by an adaptation of the laser pointer-assisted angle reproduction test [The trial stopped at the end of seven weeks when participants completed the three interventions. Before and after the trial the participants were asked if they believed massage would be/was effective to improve performance in swim training. After the trial, they were told about the existence of two different massage protocols, and then asked with which intervention they felt more recovered. 