A Comprehensive Biomechanical Study of Ergometer Rowing with Musculoskeletal Models

Rowing is a whole-body exercise that requires co-ordination of the motions of the upper and lower extremities and trunk. Indoor ergometer rowing has long been used by competitive rowers as a training method, but it has also been widely adopted by non-rowers as an exercise for general fitness. A knowledge of the loads in the muscles and joints of the body during ergometer rowing is important not only for studies of sports performance, but also for identification of the tissues potentially at risk of injury, particular in non-rowers who may have poor rowing technique. The purpose of this study is to propose three types of the musculoskeletal model for a comprehensive biomechanical study of ergometer rowing: a three-dimensional whole-body model based on inverse dynamics (Model 1), a quasi-three-dimensional whole-body model based on forward dynamics (Model 2), and a twodimensional lower extremity model with anatomical joint models based on inverse dynamics (Model 3).