Introduction: Swimming for people with physical disabilities has gained prominence over the years, particularly at the competitive level. Aims: The aim of the present study was to analyze the force applied by swimmers with physical-motor disabilities during tethered swimming between breathing and non-breathing stroke cycles. Methods: Five para-swimmers (3 men and 2 women, competing at regional to international levels), aged between 13 and 25 years and classified between S4 and S9, participated in this pilot study. To measure propulsive force (mean force, peak force, and impulse), a 30-second maximal tethered-swimming test protocol (4th-order Butterworth filter, 15 Hz) was used with bilateral alternating breathing every three strokes. The parameters of mean force, peak force, and impulse were obtained from the force-time curve, followed by a descriptive analysis (due to the small sample size), comparing the breathing and non-breathing stroke cycles (identified through video recording synchronization). Results: On average, the parameters analyzed in the non-breathing stroke cycle showed slightly higher values than in the breathing stroke cycle, with mean force differing by 12% (39.25 versus 34.73N). Peak force (57.04 versus 54.22N) and impulse (31.19 versus 29.91N.s) differed by approximately 5% and 4%, respectively, between the analyzed conditions. Conclusion: It appears that non-breathing stroke cycles allow greater application of propulsive force, particularly mean force, likely due to a more horizontal body position (i.e., improved hydrodynamic alignment). However, the effects on force are not uniform across individuals, possibly due to differences in the degree of functional impairment among para swimmers. In fact, functional impairment may affect the balance of stroke force. Although this is a pilot study and the influence of breathing on subsequent stroke was not controlled, these results reinforce the importance of individualized analysis in establishing breathing strategies during swim training for swimmers with physical disabilities.
© Copyright 2026 XVth International Symposium on Biomechanics and Medicine in Swimming Proceedings. All rights reserved.