Abstract

The cause of the breaststroke swimmers knee with medial pain of the knee joint has not been clearly identified. Breaststroke swimmers with knee pain were, therefore, examined arthroscopically. None showed any other disorders oftheir knees than medial synovitis in seven of nine swimmers. Since structural abnormalities could be ruled out, biomechanical analyses utilizing cinematographic techniques were used to study patients swimming in a special flume with the speed set at 90 of their best competitive performance. The results indicate that the extension and flexion and also in some cases the hip abduction and adduction movements of the whip kick were performed with high peak angular velocities. No significant differences in swimming techniques among the six patients studied and three controls could be observed. It is concluded that a combination of high angular velocities at the hip and knee and external rotation of the tibia relative to the femur repeated in excessiveamounts might be the primary cause for the medial synovitis documented in these patients. The breatstrokers knee thus seems to be an overuse syndrome. Verf.-Referat