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Applied Sciences
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Applied Biomechanics: Sport Performance and Injury Prevention II
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Applied Biomechanics: Sport Performance and Injury Prevention II

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Biosciences and Bioengineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 35590
Related Special Issue: Applied Biomechanics: Sport Performance and Injury Prevention

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Enrique Navarro

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Health and Human Performance, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Interests: running; kicking in soccer; hamstring injury; refereeing in soccer; performance analysis in swimming; strength exercises
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Santiago Veiga

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Sports, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Interests: performance analysis; technical analysis; coordination analysis; skill acquisition; aquatic sports
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Alejandro San Juan Ferrer

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Health and Human Performance, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Interests: sports biomechanics; injury prevention and treatment; fatigue; strength evaluation; biomechanics; physiology and exercise programs in chronic diseases (e.g., cancer); physical activity and ergonomics at work
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is our pleasure to present this Special Issue on “Applied Biomechanics: Sport Performance and Injury Prevention”. There are many reasons this issue is extremely topical and important, but they can be summarized in two topics: the social and economic impact of sport, and the role of biomechanics in sport training.

The economic impact of professional sport is obvious, but we must also consider the importance of recreational sport. The number of recreational sports events grows day by day; at present, nonprofessional athletes train regularly, use high-cost equipment, and control their performance using portable sensors. However, while the beneficial effects of sport on health have been widely reported, it is known that the incidence of sport injuries in both professional and amateur athletes is now increasing, producing a concomitant increase of health care costs due mainly to injury rehabilitation treatments.

On the other hand, sports performance should be understood as the search for the best results and the reduction of injury risk. The paradigm of improving performance and preventing injury is currently a fundamental topic in sport sciences. There are many factors that determine human performance, but possibly one of the most important is the mechanical efficacy of movements (i.e., sport technique). In this sense, sports biomechanics as a science that seeks to optimize the human movements plays an important role in sports training and injury prevention.

We know that the number of scientific publications on sports sciences is currently exceptionally large, and fortunately, it grows day by day. However, it is our aim for this Special Issue to serve as a forum of discussion on sports biomechanics and injury prevention where sport can publish their results. We encourage you to send works focused on the biomechanical analysis of motor skills of sports (individual and collective) and its relationships with injuries in both men and women professional/recreational athletes.

Prof. Dr. Enrique Navarro
Prof. Dr. Santiago Veiga
Prof. Dr. Alejandro San Juan Ferrer
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Biomechanical analysis
  • Injury biomechanics
  • Joint biomechanics
  • Sport injury
  • Injury prevention
  • Rehabilitation
  • Reconditioning
  • Hamstring strain
  • Motor skills
  • Mechanical efficacy
  • Sports technique
  • Individual sports
  • Collective sports
  • Performance analysis
  • Hard walk
  • Football
  • Soccer
  • Soccer refereeing
  • Swimming
  • Running
  • Sprinting
  • Kicking
  • Throwing
  • Golf
  • Jumping
  • Skiing
  • Fencing
  • Balance skills
  • Strength training
  • Electromyography
  • Motion capture system
  • 2D analysis
  • Inverse dynamics
  • Movement energy
  • Accelerometry
  • Inertial sensors

Published Papers (16 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 1440 KiB  
Article
Radial and Oblique Impact Testing of Alpine Helmets onto Snow Surfaces
by Declan A. Patton, Reza Mohammadi, Peter Halldin, Svein Kleiven and Andrew S. McIntosh
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 3455; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13063455 - 08 Mar 2023
Viewed by 1396
Abstract
Recent studies have found that alpine helmets reduce the risk of focal injuries associated with radial impacts, which is likely due to current alpine helmet standards requiring helmets to be drop-tested on flat anvils with only linear acceleration pass criteria. There is a [...] Read more.
Recent studies have found that alpine helmets reduce the risk of focal injuries associated with radial impacts, which is likely due to current alpine helmet standards requiring helmets to be drop-tested on flat anvils with only linear acceleration pass criteria. There is a need to evaluate the performance of alpine helmets in more realistic impacts. The current study developed a method to assess the performance of alpine helmets for radial and oblique impacts on snow surfaces in a laboratory setting. Snow samples were collected from a groomed area of a ski slope. Radial impacts were performed as drop tests onto a stationary snow sample. Oblique impacts were performed as drop tests onto a snow sample moving horizontally. For radial impacts, snow sample collection time was found to significantly (p = 0.005) influence mean peak linear headform acceleration with an increase in ambient temperature softening the snow samples. For oblique tests, the recreational alpine sports helmet with a rotation-damping system (RDS) significantly (p = 0.002) reduced mean peak angular acceleration compared to the same helmets with no RDS by approximately 44%. The ski racing helmet also significantly (p = 0.006) reduced mean peak angular acceleration compared to the recreational alpine sports helmet with no RDS by approximately 33%, which was attributed to the smooth outer shell of the ski racing helmet. The current study helps to bridge the knowledge gap between real helmet impacts on alpine snow slopes and laboratory helmet impacts on rigid surfaces. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Biomechanics: Sport Performance and Injury Prevention II)
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10 pages, 1211 KiB  
Article
Heads Up! A Biomechanical Pilot Investigation of Soccer Heading Using Instrumented Mouthguards (iMGs)
by Darek Sokol-Randell, Oscar W. Stelzer-Hiller, David Allan and Gregory Tierney
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2639; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13042639 - 18 Feb 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1980
Abstract
Soccer players purposefully head the ball, raising concerns about reduced tolerance to concussion and potential long-term brain health. By combining qualitative video analysis with custom-fit instrumented mouthguards (iMGs), we aimed to categorize header kinematics (peak linear acceleration (PLA) and peak angular acceleration (PAA)) [...] Read more.
Soccer players purposefully head the ball, raising concerns about reduced tolerance to concussion and potential long-term brain health. By combining qualitative video analysis with custom-fit instrumented mouthguards (iMGs), we aimed to categorize header kinematics (peak linear acceleration (PLA) and peak angular acceleration (PAA)) by header type and ball delivery method. iMGs were fitted to 10 male collegiate players for twelve matches. A total of 133 headers were verified and contextualized via video review. The most common header type (38.7%), as well as the preceding ball delivery method (47.4%), was found to be a pass. Approximately one-quarter of header impacts (27.0%) occurred below 10 g. For header type, there were no significant differences in kinematics, with shot attempts having the highest median PLA and PAA. For ball delivery methods, goal kicks had significantly greater PAA than long balls and pass attempts. The current study highlights the utility of qualitative video analysis in combination with real-time head kinematic data from iMGs to understand the mechanism and severity of header impacts. The pilot findings indicate that high-speed ball delivery methods result in higher head kinematics and should be a focus of future mitigation strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Biomechanics: Sport Performance and Injury Prevention II)
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8 pages, 1442 KiB  
Communication
Changes in Joint Power and Energetics during a Sport-Specific Jumping Fatigue Protocol
by John Wannop, Nicole Schrier, Marie-Louise Wolter, Ryan Madden, Zach Barrons and Darren Stefanyshyn
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1231; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13031231 - 17 Jan 2023
Viewed by 1387
Abstract
Kinematic and kinetic changes in the lower extremities occur as an athlete becomes fatigued during vertical jumping; however, the specifics of these changes are not well-understood. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to quantify the influence of a sport-specific, vertical jumping fatigue [...] Read more.
Kinematic and kinetic changes in the lower extremities occur as an athlete becomes fatigued during vertical jumping; however, the specifics of these changes are not well-understood. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to quantify the influence of a sport-specific, vertical jumping fatigue protocol on the biomechanics of the ankle, knee, and hip joint. Twenty male varsity athletes performed repetitive standing countermovement squat jumps every 20 s until fatigued (vertical jump and reach height decreased to 88% of their maximum height for three consecutive jumps). The kinematics and kinetics of their lower extremities (ankle, knee, and hip) were quantified, and the ankle, knee, and hip joint’s moments, angular velocity, and joint power were compared. The participants performed an average of 175 jumps before they were classified as being fatigued. When they became fatigued, the peak power of the ankle and hip joints were substantially reduced due to a decrease in the angular velocity at both joints. Ankle and hip joint moments were unchanged. Peak power at the knee joint was also unchanged over the course of the jumping protocol. To maintain vertical jumping performance over the course of a game or to delay the influence of fatigue, training should be targeted at maintaining the angular velocity of the ankle and hip joints. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Biomechanics: Sport Performance and Injury Prevention II)
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13 pages, 1254 KiB  
Article
Concurrent Validity of the Inertial Measurement Unit Vmaxpro in Vertical Jump Estimation
by Jose M. Jimenez-Olmedo, Basilio Pueo, Jose M. Mossi and Lamberto Villalon-Gasch
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 959; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13020959 - 10 Jan 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1497
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate if the inertial measurement unit (IMU) Vmaxpro is a valid device to estimate vertical jump height (VJH) when compared to a motion capture system (MoCAP). Thirteen highly trained female volleyball players participated in this study [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to evaluate if the inertial measurement unit (IMU) Vmaxpro is a valid device to estimate vertical jump height (VJH) when compared to a motion capture system (MoCAP). Thirteen highly trained female volleyball players participated in this study which consisted of three sessions. After a familiarization session, two sessions comprised a warm-up followed by ten countermovement jumps, resting two min between each attempt. Jump height was measured simultaneously by Vmaxpro using take-off velocity and MoCAP using center-of-mass vertical excursion. Results show significant differences in jump height between devices (10.52 cm; p < 0.001; ES = 0.9), a very strong Spearman’s correlation (rs = 0.84: p < 0.001), and a weak concordance correlation coefficient (CCC = 0.22; ρ = 0.861; Cb = 0.26). Regression analysis reveals very high correlations, high systematic error (8.46 cm), and a nonproportional random error (SEE = 1.67 cm). Bland–Altman plots show systematic error (10.6 cm) with 97.3 % of the data being within the LoA. In conclusion, Vmaxpro can be considered a valid device for the estimation of VJH, being a cheaper, portable, and manageable alternative to MoCAP. However, the magnitude of systematic error discourages its use where indistinguishable data from Vmaxpro and MoCAP are used unless the corresponding specific fitting equation is applied. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Biomechanics: Sport Performance and Injury Prevention II)
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7 pages, 556 KiB  
Communication
The Effects of Functional Ankle Taping on Postural Stability in Elite Judo Players
by Moonseok Kwon, Seongyeol Lee, Jaewoo Lee, Ayoon Lee and Hyokeun Lee
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(21), 10779; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app122110779 - 25 Oct 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1291
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of ankle taping intervention on postural stability in elite Judo players. A total of twenty-two elite Judo players participated in this study. For biomechanical evaluation of postural stability, all participants performed postural standing [...] Read more.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of ankle taping intervention on postural stability in elite Judo players. A total of twenty-two elite Judo players participated in this study. For biomechanical evaluation of postural stability, all participants performed postural standing tasks including narrow, normal, and wide stance conditions with both taping and non-taping conditions, respectively. Ground reaction forces and the center of pressure (COP) were obtained from the force plate. COP data for 30-s duration were analyzed to assess postural stability by measuring 95% confidence ellipse sway area (COPSWAY), COP velocity (COPVEL), and approximate entropy (ApEn). Significant differences were found in COPSWAY (p = 0.025) and COPVEL (p = 0.041) in the narrow stance, but no differences in normal and wide stances were observed between taping and non-taping conditions. For ApEn in the anteroposterior (AP) direction, significant differences were identified in normal (p = 0.026) and wide (p = 0.014) stances, but in the mediolateral direction there were no significant differences in all stances between taping and non-taping conditions. This study suggests that ankle taping that is purported to increase ankle stability may ironically negatively affect posture maintenance in Judo players. Our study suggests that the purpose of ankle taping should be reconsidered and associated individual objective data should be first analyzed before tape application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Biomechanics: Sport Performance and Injury Prevention II)
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11 pages, 1303 KiB  
Article
Kinematic Determinants of the Swimming Push Start in Competitive Swimmers
by Alfonso Trinidad, Archit Navandar, Enrique Navarro and Santiago Veiga
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(18), 9278; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12189278 - 16 Sep 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1348
Abstract
(1) Background: The aim of the present research is to describe the kinematic characteristics of push start in competitive swimmers and to examine the role of the push start sub-phases on the overall start performance. (2) Methods: Seventy-four swimmers (33 males and 41 [...] Read more.
(1) Background: The aim of the present research is to describe the kinematic characteristics of push start in competitive swimmers and to examine the role of the push start sub-phases on the overall start performance. (2) Methods: Seventy-four swimmers (33 males and 41 females) of national and international level performed one 25 m trial at maximum velocity with a push start at butterfly, backstroke and/or front-crawl techniques and were filmed with two sequential underwater cameras during the glide, leg kicking, transition and surface swimming phases. (3) Results: Backstroke starts showed greater emersion distances but slower times to 10 m than the remaining strokes. Distances and average velocities in each of the start sub-phases predicted the overall push start performance (times to 10 m) on the butterfly (R2: 0.50) and backstroke (R2: 0.58) strokes, with the velocity of the leg kicking phase having a statistical effect on both regression analysis and the glide and transition phases in backstroke. (4) Conclusions: Push starts performed in a dorsal body position seemed to present kinematic differences with ventral techniques and a greater technical complexity with all glide, leg kicking and transition sub-phases meaningfully impacting the overall push start performance. This should be considered when executing the daily training repetitions with swimmers in water. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Biomechanics: Sport Performance and Injury Prevention II)
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9 pages, 1134 KiB  
Article
Quantifying Within-Individual Elbow Load Variability in Youth Elite Baseball Pitchers and Its Role in Overuse Injuries
by Bart Van Trigt, Foskien F. Bouman, Antonius J. R. Leenen, Marco J. M. Hoozemans, Frans C. T. Van der Helm and Dirkjan Veeger
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(13), 6549; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app12136549 - 28 Jun 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1629
Abstract
Medial elbow overuse injuries are rising in baseball. The external valgus torque magnitude is a possible risk factor for medial elbow injuries. The magnitude on its own cannot explain why one pitcher sustains an injury and another does not. Therefore, the aim of [...] Read more.
Medial elbow overuse injuries are rising in baseball. The external valgus torque magnitude is a possible risk factor for medial elbow injuries. The magnitude on its own cannot explain why one pitcher sustains an injury and another does not. Therefore, the aim of this study is to describe the within-individual external valgus torque variability and to determine whether the within-individual external valgus torque variability can be described by a Gaussian distribution. Eleven youth elite baseball pitchers threw twenty-five fastball pitches. Body kinematics were measured with VICON motion capture at 400 Hz. Elbow valgus torques of the total 270 pitches were calculated with a custom-made inverse dynamic model in Python. Visual inspection and the Shapiro–Wilk test were performed to test for the within-individual elbow valgus torque normality. The results showed that within-individual valgus torque variability was present in pitchers and differed among pitchers. Furthermore, it was shown that the within-individual valgus torque variability was normally distributed in nine out of eleven subjects. In conclusion, the presence of and differences in within-individual elbow load variability among baseball pitchers can be useful variables as they might be related to overuse elbow injuries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Biomechanics: Sport Performance and Injury Prevention II)
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13 pages, 1264 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Neuromuscular Fatigue According to Injury History in a Repeat Sprint Ability Test, Countermovement Jump, and Hamstring Test in Elite Female Soccer Players
by Estrella Armada-Cortés, José Antonio Benítez-Muñoz, Javier Sánchez-Sánchez and Alejandro F. San Juan
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(6), 2970; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app12062970 - 14 Mar 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2708
Abstract
Sprinting is a fundamental component of the professional soccer player’s ability to achieve the highest performance in the sport. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of hamstring injury history on the neuromuscular fatigue produced by an RSA test in [...] Read more.
Sprinting is a fundamental component of the professional soccer player’s ability to achieve the highest performance in the sport. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of hamstring injury history on the neuromuscular fatigue produced by an RSA test in elite female football players. Nineteen female elite soccer players of the Second Spanish Soccer Division participated in the study. The participants were divided into: (1) a Control group who have not suffered previous muscular injuries and (2) a Hamstring group with previous hamstring injury at least one season prior to the protocol. The players performed a protocol consisting of a Repeat Sprint Ability Test (RSA) (6 × 40 m; 30 s rest), and CMJ and Hamstring tests before and after the RSA. The different variables of the study were compared between groups with a two-way ANOVA for repeated measures. The main findings from the present study were that, in subjects with previous hamstring injury, the performance was impaired compared with the control group: (1) in the initial meters of the sprint during an RSA there was a higher percentage difference between SprintTT and ideal Split in 0–10 m compared to 0–20 m in the hamstring group (p = 0.006; ES = 0.51); and in situations of high fatigue there was a higher %Dif1vs6 compared to %Dif1vs5 (percentage difference between the first sprint and fifth sprint) in the hamstring group (p = 0.005; ES = 0.54) compared with the control group. It seems that in elite female soccer players with previous hamstring injury, RSA-induced fatigue produces a greater decrease in the performance in the first 10 m of the sprint compared to the control uninjured players. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Biomechanics: Sport Performance and Injury Prevention II)
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15 pages, 1043 KiB  
Article
Identification of Sex Differences within Lunge Decelerations via Lower Extremity Support Moments; Implications for ACL Injury Disparity, Prevention, and Rehabilitation
by Jeffery T. Podraza and Scott C. White
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(5), 2616; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app12052616 - 03 Mar 2022
Viewed by 1588
Abstract
Loading characteristics and lower extremity injury mechanisms, such as the non-contact mechanism of cruciate ligament injury, differ between sexes. The Limb Support Moment (LSM) quantifies hip, knee, and ankle moment contribution to the net moment required to prevent limb collapse during deceleration tasks. [...] Read more.
Loading characteristics and lower extremity injury mechanisms, such as the non-contact mechanism of cruciate ligament injury, differ between sexes. The Limb Support Moment (LSM) quantifies hip, knee, and ankle moment contribution to the net moment required to prevent limb collapse during deceleration tasks. In total, 10 males and 10 females performed single limb deceleration landings within three knee flexion ranges: 0–25°, 25–50°, and 50–75°. Lower extremity joint moments and LSMs were calculated for all planes at initial contact (IC) through 50 ms. A two-way multivariate ANOVA compared LSMs and joint moments between sexes for all planes. Female LSMs were significantly greater at IC in the sagittal and transverse planes due to the generation of hip and ankle extensor moments and larger hip, knee, and ankle internal rotation moments. Males demonstrated significantly greater LSMs in the frontal plane due to the generation of hip abductor moments. Results suggest that females have a more rigid lower limb than males at landing, with less shock absorption capacity and greater potential for frontal plane collapse due to an unsupportive hip adductor moment. Quantifying the contribution of joint moments to limb support via LSMs suggests that there are landing characteristic sex differences, which may provide insight into injury disparity while guiding injury prevention/rehabilitation methodology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Biomechanics: Sport Performance and Injury Prevention II)
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9 pages, 1092 KiB  
Communication
No Association between Jump Parameters and Tissue Stiffness in the Quadriceps and Triceps Surae Muscles in Recreationally Active Young Adult Males
by Andreas Konrad and Florian Kurt Paternoster
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(3), 1596; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app12031596 - 02 Feb 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1789
Abstract
While the main contributor for drop jump (DJ) performance is the calf muscle–tendon unit (MTU), for countermovement jump (CMJ) performance, it is the quadriceps MTU. However, to date, it is not clear if the muscle and/or tendon stiffness of the respective MTUs can [...] Read more.
While the main contributor for drop jump (DJ) performance is the calf muscle–tendon unit (MTU), for countermovement jump (CMJ) performance, it is the quadriceps MTU. However, to date, it is not clear if the muscle and/or tendon stiffness of the respective MTUs can be related to DJ or CMJ performance. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between DJ and CMJ performance parameters and tissue stiffness (i.e., muscle stiffness, tendon stiffness) of the calf MTU and quadriceps MTU, respectively. Consequently, with 16 healthy volunteers, the tissue stiffness of the gastrocnemius medialis (GM), gastrocnemius lateralis (GL) Achilles tendon (AT), vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis (VL), rectus femoris (RF), and patellar tendon (PT) were recorded with a Myoton device. Moreover, DJ and CMJ performances were assessed with a force plate. The alpha level was set to 0.05. Pearson correlation coefficients revealed no significant association between DJ performance and GM, GL, or AT stiffness (−0.07 to 0.24; p > 0.05). Similarly, no association was found between CMJ performance parameters and VM, VL, RF, or PT stiffness (−0.13–0.36; p > 0.05). According to our results, other variables, such as jump technique, body weight, or strength, were likely play a more important role in DJ and CMJ performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Biomechanics: Sport Performance and Injury Prevention II)
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11 pages, 821 KiB  
Article
Stride Length Impacts on Sagittal Knee Biomechanics in Flat Ground Baseball Pitching
by Daniel K. Ramsey and Ryan L. Crotin
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(3), 995; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app12030995 - 19 Jan 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2328
Abstract
Coordinated lower extremity biomechanics are altered in response to changes in stride length, influencing the kinetic chain that potentially induces compensatory throwing mechanics throughout the baseball pitching cycle. The respective sagittal knee dynamic profiles, for both the stride (lead) and drive (trail) leg, [...] Read more.
Coordinated lower extremity biomechanics are altered in response to changes in stride length, influencing the kinetic chain that potentially induces compensatory throwing mechanics throughout the baseball pitching cycle. The respective sagittal knee dynamic profiles, for both the stride (lead) and drive (trail) leg, were analyzed during flat ground baseball pitching to determine whether the stride length variation elicits compensatory drive and stride leg knee joint kinematics, kinetics, and joint powers. Using a randomized cross-over design, a cohort of 19 healthy skilled competitive pitchers from collegiate and high school travel programs from across Western New York were assigned to throw 2 simulated 80 pitch games at ±25% of their desired stride length. An integrated motion capture system with two force plates and a radar gun tracked each throw. Pairwise comparisons at hallmark events and phases identified significantly different sagittal knee dynamics for both the drive and stride leg between the stride length conditions. During the acceleration phase, the drive knee moments between the stride length conditions demonstrated differences in power generation and absorption. Longer strides allowed for greater knee propulsion dynamics, exemplified by eccentric drive knee extensor moments with a concomitant power absorption that slowed the rate of drive knee flexion (p ≤ 0.001). Conversely, shorter strides generated power through concentric knee flexor moments that increased the rate of drive knee flexion (p ≤ 0.001). Stride knee extensor moments and power generation during the acceleration phase were also significantly higher with shorter strides (p ≤ 0.05). Adapted knee joint dynamics may offer insights into stride length optimization, training, and injury prevention strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Biomechanics: Sport Performance and Injury Prevention II)
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14 pages, 2932 KiB  
Article
Foot Insole Pressure Distribution during the Golf Swing in Professionals and Amateur Players
by Enrique Navarro, José M. Mancebo, Sima Farazi, Malena del Olmo and David Luengo
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(1), 358; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app12010358 - 30 Dec 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2767
Abstract
There are numerous articles that study the ground reaction forces during the golf swing, among which only a few analyze the pressure pattern distributed on the entire surface of the foot. The current study compares the pressure patterns on the foot insoles of [...] Read more.
There are numerous articles that study the ground reaction forces during the golf swing, among which only a few analyze the pressure pattern distributed on the entire surface of the foot. The current study compares the pressure patterns on the foot insoles of fifty-five golfers, from three different performance levels, playing swings with driver and 5-iron clubs in the driving range. Five swings were selected for each club. During each swing, ultra-thin insole sensors (4 sensors/cm2) measure foot pressure at the frequency of 100 Hz. To perform statistical analysis, insole sensors are clustered to form seven areas, with the normalized pressure of each area being our dependent variable. A video camera was used to label the five key instants of the swing. Statistical analysis demonstrates a significant difference between the pressure distribution pattern of the left and right feet for both driver and 5-iron. However, the pressure distribution pattern remains almost the same when switching the club type from 5-iron to driver. We have also observed that there are significant differences between the pattern of professionals and players with medium and high handicap. The obtained pattern agrees with the principle of weight transfer with a different behavior between the medial and lateral areas of the foot. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Biomechanics: Sport Performance and Injury Prevention II)
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10 pages, 1409 KiB  
Article
Effects of Complex Functional Strength Training on Balance and Shooting Performance of Rifle Shooters
by Min-Hao Hung, Kuo-Chuan Lin, Chung-Cheng Wu, Jia-Hung Juang, Yen-Yu Lin and Chi-Yao Chang
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(13), 6143; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11136143 - 01 Jul 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3199
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to study the effects of complex functional strength training (whole-body vibration + unstable surface training) on overall shooting performance, including the shooters’ stability of hold, time on target, and the body sway. We compared the shooters’ performances [...] Read more.
The purpose of this research was to study the effects of complex functional strength training (whole-body vibration + unstable surface training) on overall shooting performance, including the shooters’ stability of hold, time on target, and the body sway. We compared the shooters’ performances at three time intervals: (a) pretraining, (b) 6 weeks post-WBV+UST, and (c) 6 weeks detraining. The study participants were eight rifle shooters. Training was c on an unstable surface with vibration frequency of 30 Hz and amplitude of 2 mm. Six weeks after complex training, participants’ shooting performance and body sway significantly improved. Specifically, shooting scores and total time improved by 5.50% and 7.34%, respectively, as did the DevTotal values between performances at different times: 10 ms (p = 0.01), 20 ms (p = 0.04), 30 ms (p = 0.02), and 40 ms (p = 0.02). The DevY values also showed significant differences between performances at different times: 10 ms (p < 0.01), 20 ms (p < 0.01), 30 ms (p < 0.01), 40 ms (p < 0.01), and 50 ms (p < 0.01). A 6 week complex training method can effectively improve shooting stability, fluency, and scores. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Biomechanics: Sport Performance and Injury Prevention II)
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10 pages, 1376 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Countermovement and Preferred-Style Jump Biomechanics in Male Basketball Players
by Kristof Kipp, John Krzyszkowski, Todd Smith, Christopher Geiser and Hoon Kim
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(13), 6092; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11136092 - 30 Jun 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2744
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the biomechanics of countermovement (CMJ) and preferred-style (PrefJ) jumps. Eight male basketball players (age: 19 ± 1 year; height: 1.84 ± 0.14 m; mass: 92.8 ± 11.4 kg) participated in a cross-sectional study [...] Read more.
The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the biomechanics of countermovement (CMJ) and preferred-style (PrefJ) jumps. Eight male basketball players (age: 19 ± 1 year; height: 1.84 ± 0.14 m; mass: 92.8 ± 11.4 kg) participated in a cross-sectional study for which they performed max effort CMJ and PrefJ while motion capture and force plate data were recorded. The CMJ were performed according to common procedures. For the PrefJ, the eight players chose to use a short approach run and a step-in jump, with a clear lead and trail leg foot contact pattern. Vertical ground reaction forces (GRF), center-of-mass (COM) parameters, as well as hip, knee, and ankle flexion angles, extension velocities, net joint moments, powers, and work were all calculated and used for analysis. Bi-lateral data from the CMJ were averaged, whereas lead and trail leg data from the PrefJ were kept separated. The PrefJ was characterized by greater jump height and GRF and shorter contact times. Joint-level differences indicated that the PrefJ was characterized by larger joint kinetics. Importantly, very few biomechanical variables of the CMJ and PrefJ were correlated, which suggests that each jump type is characterized by unique movement strategies. Since PrefJ may better represent athlete- and sport-specific movement pattern, these findings could have implications for assessing and monitoring neuromuscular performance of basketball players. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Biomechanics: Sport Performance and Injury Prevention II)
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10 pages, 2264 KiB  
Communication
Shock Attenuation and Electromyographic Activity of Advanced and Novice Equestrian Riders’ Trunk
by Marc Elmeua González and Nejc Šarabon
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(5), 2304; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11052304 - 05 Mar 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3033
Abstract
Low back pain (LBP) is a prevailing affliction among recreational and professional horse riders. It lowers performance and distracts from the development of the athlete. A lower incidence of LBP has been observed in the professional riding population despite higher training volumes. This [...] Read more.
Low back pain (LBP) is a prevailing affliction among recreational and professional horse riders. It lowers performance and distracts from the development of the athlete. A lower incidence of LBP has been observed in the professional riding population despite higher training volumes. This paper aims to describe neuromuscular mechanisms through which advanced and novice riders attenuate the shockwave generated between the horse and rider. Six novice riders (age 24 ± 7 years), nine advanced riders (age 31 ± 5 years) and four horses (age 15 ± 3 years) took part in this study. Surface electromyographic activity of the riders’ trunk was recorded along with inertial data from the horses’ leg, saddle and vertebrae of the riders at walk, trot and canter. Analyses of variances revealed a superior shock attenuating ability of the advanced group (F (1,38) > 5.023, p < 0.03) as well as a higher overall muscle tone (F (1,488) > 9.80, p < 0.02). Cross correlation analyses between shock attenuation and electromyographic activity showed that groups differ mostly in timing rather than the intensity of muscle activation. This finding is of great interest for equestrian athletes and coaches, as it points to a greater importance of training muscular anticipation within the trunk stabilizers rather than overall muscle activation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Biomechanics: Sport Performance and Injury Prevention II)
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11 pages, 1060 KiB  
Article
Influence of Arch-Support Orthoses with Heel Lift Manipulation on Joint Moments and Forefoot Mechanics in Running
by Jun-Xiang Pan, Wing-Kai Lam, Peter Lung-Wai Sze, Mohammad Farhan Tan and Aaron Kam-Lun Leung
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(4), 1613; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11041613 - 10 Feb 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2552
Abstract
While foot orthosis is suggested to improve rearfoot motion in running, little information is known about forefoot biomechanics. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of arch-support orthoses with various heel lift manipulation on the loading rate, spatiotemporal, and forefoot [...] Read more.
While foot orthosis is suggested to improve rearfoot motion in running, little information is known about forefoot biomechanics. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of arch-support orthoses with various heel lift manipulation on the loading rate, spatiotemporal, and forefoot joint mechanics using a skin marker set model. Fifteen male habitual rearfoot strikers ran at their selected speeds on an instrumented treadmill in four foot orthoses conditions: flat-control, D2 (2 mm heel lift, arch-support), D6 (6 mm heel lift, arch-support), and D10 (10 mm heel lift, arch-support). A repeated measures ANOVA was performed to examine any significant difference in each of the tested variables, with α = 0.05. Wearing D10 led to smaller maximum loading rate than D2 (p < 0.001) and control (p = 0.002). For sagittal plane, D10 had larger rearfoot touchdown dorsiflexion than D2 (p = 0.027) and control (p = 0.007) and larger in D6 than control (p = 0.025). For frontal plane, wearing D10 demonstrated larger rearfoot frontal RoM than D2 (p = 0.018) and peak forefoot eversion than D6 (p = 0.047) and control (p = 0.048). Furthermore, the forefoot frontal range of motion was lowest when wearing D6. For joint moment, wearing control orthosis exhibited larger peak rearfoot eversion moment than D6 (p = 0.035), but smaller peak knee extension moment than D2 (p = 0.025) and D10 (p = 0.010). These findings indicate that the use of arch-support orthoses would alter the running mechanics that are related to injury potential. Lower heel lift orthoses led to alternations to most of the biomechanical variables than higher heel lift orthoses. Further longitudinal study seems necessary to optimize arch-support orthoses design in running. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Biomechanics: Sport Performance and Injury Prevention II)
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