Biomechanical Analysis of Rowing Motion Using Whole Body Musculoskeletal Model.

We developed a musculoskeletal model consisting of thirteen rigid links and thirty-one muscles in order to analyze whole body motion such as rowing. Nine experiments were carried out for different rowing forms and pitches. The motion and external forces while rowing were measured for five skilled men who belong to a university boat team and five nonskilled men. Energy consumption and muscular tensions were calculated from the measured data and the musculoskeletal model. Both energy consumption and muscle fatigue became minimum in the case of the ordinary rowing style of skilled subjects. Therefore, whole body motion such as rowing seems to be performed so as to decrease both entire loads due to motion and partial loads due to muscle activities.