身體滾轉是指沿著游泳者身體縱軸方向的旋轉動作；在自由式與仰式游泳動作中，雙臂都必須交替進行划水動作，而形成身體滾轉動作，其亦為自由式游泳重要的特徵結構之一；而適當之滾轉角度範圍與趨勢，與游泳運動表現息息相關。本文將過去文獻加以彙整，先針對不同滾轉角度定義方法—絕對座標與相對座標系統作探討，以瞭解身體滾轉在生物力學上的角色，延伸至下列議題作相關討論：優秀選手滾轉角度範圍與動作特徵，身體滾轉在自由式游泳時的水中阻力與推進力之影響，自由式划頻划距與身體滾轉之關係等。在過去研究中發現，優秀選手的肩與髖關節滾轉角度皆有相同變化範圍且為同向性滾轉特徵，此滾轉特徵能夠有效減少游泳者在水中所受之形狀阻力，並增加划水距離，提升運動表現。而身體滾轉不只影響自由式游泳划手距離，亦影響划手頻率，故選手可依照比賽策略與個人體能條件調整適當之滾轉角度範圍，以提高每次划手效率。期望藉由本文瞭解過去對身體滾轉的研究與發展，作為未來相關研究與技術訓練之應用，以提升國內游泳競技水平。

"The Body Roll" of a swimmer is the rolling action along swimmer's long-axis. Bilateral strokes reciprocally repeated during swimming is ones of the most important features of free-style swimming. Optimal angle of rolling is critical to the performance of swimming. This study summarized past research to clarify the biomechanical roles of "body rolling" action, by defining rolling action in the absolutely and relatively coordination, considering the angular range of body roll in elite swimmers; the drag and propulsive forces of the body roll in the free style swimming, and the relationship between the stroke rate and the length of the body roll. Recent studies have shown that elite swimmers using free style have a patterned body roll that the shoulder and the hip rolled in the same amount and direction to efficiently reduce the back drag force of the water and to increase the length of the stroke for performance improvement of the swimmer. Body rolling does not only affect the length of the stroke but also influences the rate of the stroke. Therefore, the swimmer should adjust the range of the body roll's angle to optimize stroke efficiency, in accordance with game rule and the individual's condition of the swimmer. This study helps to understand the development of the body roll and facilitate future study for technical training of the swimmer and level improvement of the domestic's swimming field.