The effects of one stage of exhaustive global fatigue on coordination and variability of the joints of the upper limbs in elite rowers: Injury risk perspective

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of one global fatigue stage on coordination and variability between upper extremity joints in elite rowers. Fourteen male rowers of the national team participated in this quasi-experimental study. A rowing ergometer device was used to create general fatigue until exhaustion. An inertial measurement device of units was also used for measuring kinematic parameters in 15 consecutive rowing cycles at the beginning and end of the fatigue protocol. The results showed that a session of global fatigue changes the level of coordination between the shoulder-trunk joints on the horizontal plane and the elbow-shoulder joints on the sagittal plane, as well as the level of variability between shoulder-trunk joints in the horizontal plane, elbow-shoulder joints in the sagittal plane and elbow-trunk joints in the sagittal plate. It can have negative effects on the performance of professional rowers and increases the risk of injuries caused by overuse. Due to results, considering the effect of fatigue on the lower extremities of the elite national rower athletes during the designation of training programs is an important issue.