By Brad Fernihough, APA Sports Physiotherapist, Physioworks Camberwell.
Attention all rowers.
Do you have an Active Extension Pattern – (AEP) – biomechanical rowing stroke? A functional motor control assessment at Physioworks Health Group may assist you.
Motor control is critical to high end biomechanical tasks such as the rowing stroke, a combination of postural movement independent of muscle contraction. (O’Sullivan 2006)
One of the most common Mal-adaptive motor control strategies we see in young rowers at Physioworks Health Group is an Active Extension Pattern (AEP).
AEP occurs with subtle deleterious change in postural movement strategies due do the neuromuscular system losing synergy – not strength.
What is also lost is maximum efficiency in the lumbo-pelvic flexion/extension moment, critical to a rower’s stroke. The young rower will have a rigid straight back from catch through to the end of the stroke, unable to flexion relax their lower back at any point.
Rowers who adopt AEP strategies tend to also experience increase tension/tone and fatigue in the lower back, commonly causing pain. This will have a negative impact on performance.
If you have a rower in the family and want your rower to perform to their maximum efficiency, prevent AEP with a Physioworks Health Group functional motor control assessment with one of our Physiotherapy team.
About the author: APA Sports Physiotherapist Brad Fernihough has 20+ years’ experience working in sports injury prevention and management, including with numerous young male & female rowers and crews. Call for an appointment with Brad Fernihough at Physioworks Camberwell on 9889 6611.
Reference – Diagnosis, classification management of chronic lower back pain. From a mechanism based bio-psychosocial perspective. Dr O’Sullivan, 2006.