Applied Biomechanics for Injury Prevention and Performance

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 July 2021) | Viewed by 25686

Special Issue Editors

Faculty of Sport, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Interests: injury prevention; health; performance; military medicine
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Primorska, 6310 Izola, Slovenija
Interests: human movement; aging; injuies prevention; rehabilitation; ergonomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In spite of different preventive measures, musculoskeletal injuries are still common problem related with physical activity. This is especially true for the population in which expected physical performance is at the highest level, such as in top level athletes and members of the armed forces (military and police). Creating interventions that would successfully preserve or improve performance while reducing injury risk is the ever-lasting goal of researchers in this area. This Special Issue is dedicated to the biomechanical aspects of injury prevention and performance enhancement and will address how the good understanding of biomechanical injury mechanism, body posture, gait, strength, and power may help us create more effective exercise interventions. We kindly invite you to submit your research articles or reviews on the latest research work in these areas, with emphasis on applicability of the findings in top level athletes and military personnel.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vedran Hadžić
Prof. Dr. Nejc Šarabon
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • injury prevention
  • performance enhancement
  • posture
  • biomechanical risk factors
  • biomechanical injury mechanism
  • strength and power
  • sport
  • armed forces

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 1262 KiB  
Article
Assessment and Evaluation of Force–Velocity Variables in Flywheel Squats: Validity and Reliability of Force Plates, a Linear Encoder Sensor, and a Rotary Encoder Sensor
by Darjan Spudić, Robert Cvitkovič and Nejc Šarabon
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(22), 10541; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app112210541 - 09 Nov 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2045
Abstract
Research into flywheel (FW) resistance training and force–velocity–power (FvP) profiling has recently gained attention. Ground reaction force (GRF) and velocity (v) during FW squats can be predicted from shaft rotational data. Our study [...] Read more.
Research into flywheel (FW) resistance training and force–velocity–power (FvP) profiling has recently gained attention. Ground reaction force (GRF) and velocity (v) during FW squats can be predicted from shaft rotational data. Our study aimed to compare the inter-set reliability of GRF, v, and FvP relationship output variables calculated from force plates and linear encoder (presumed gold-standard) and rotary encoder data. Fifty participants performed two sets of FW squats at four inertias. Peak and mean concentric and eccentric GRF, v, and FvP outcomes from mean variables during the concentric phase of the squat were calculated. Good to excellent reliability was found for GRF and v (ICC > 0.85), regardless of the measure and the variable type. The FvP outcomes showed moderate to good reliability (ICC > 0.74). Inter-measure bias (p < 0.05) was found in the majority of GRF and v variables, as well as for all the calculated FvP outcomes (trivial to large TEs) with very large to perfect correlations for v (r 0.797–0.948), GRF (r 0.712–0.959), and, finally, FvP outcomes (ICC 0.737–0.943). Rotary encoder overestimated the force plates and linear encoder variables, and the differences were dependent on the level of inertia. Despite high reliability, FW device users should be aware of the discrepancy between the measures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Biomechanics for Injury Prevention and Performance)
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19 pages, 11159 KiB  
Article
Effects of Textured Insoles on the Balance of Individuals with Knee Osteoarthritis in Dynamic Perturbations
by Hyoungjin Park
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(18), 8615; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11188615 - 16 Sep 2021
Viewed by 1592
Abstract
The effectiveness of adding plantar-surface texture to improve balance has been demonstrated in a variety of demographics. It is critical to investigate whether textured insoles can improve balance in people with knee osteoarthritis (OA), who have compromised the somatosensory function of the affected [...] Read more.
The effectiveness of adding plantar-surface texture to improve balance has been demonstrated in a variety of demographics. It is critical to investigate whether textured insoles can improve balance in people with knee osteoarthritis (OA), who have compromised the somatosensory function of the affected joint and, as a result, are at a higher risk of falling. Thus, this study investigated the degree of benefit from the use of textured insoles for improving balance and compared the balance of people with knee OA to healthy matched peers. This study included eighteen people with knee OA and eighteen healthy, aged, gender, height, weight, and BMI matched controls who were assessed on balance using the sensory organization test and the motor control test. Balance was improved in both groups when the textured insoles were worn, and the healthy knee group demonstrated significantly better balance performance than the knee OA group. The benefits of this study for individuals with knee OA are that it may lead to the development of an evidence-based footwear intervention that is noninvasive, simple to use, and inexpensive, in addition to allowing the user to self-manage and the ability to reduce the risk of falls, thereby improving their quality of life. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Biomechanics for Injury Prevention and Performance)
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10 pages, 1487 KiB  
Article
The Indirect Role of Gluteus Medius Muscle in Knee Joint Stability during Unilateral Vertical Jump and Landing on Unstable Surface in Young Trained Males
by Balázs Sebesi, Ádám Fésüs, Mátyás Varga, Tamás Atlasz, Kitty Vadász, Petra Mayer, Lívia Vass, Balázs Meszler, Bence Balázs and Márk Váczi
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(16), 7421; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11167421 - 12 Aug 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2868
Abstract
(1) In the present investigation, we tested the hypothesis that unilateral countermovement jump performance is associated with knee joint stabilization ability during unilateral landing on unstable surface. (2) Twenty-five male sport students were tested for dynamometric knee extension and flexion, and hip abduction [...] Read more.
(1) In the present investigation, we tested the hypothesis that unilateral countermovement jump performance is associated with knee joint stabilization ability during unilateral landing on unstable surface. (2) Twenty-five male sport students were tested for dynamometric knee extension and flexion, and hip abduction isometric strength. Myolectric activity of vastus lateralis and medialis, gluteus medius, and biceps femoris muscles were measured during unilateral countermovement vertical jump performed on a force plate, and during unilateral landing on unstable surface. (3) Vertical jump impulse negatively correlated with biceps femoris activation at landing. Participants with greater hip abduction force performed greater vertical jump impulse, and activated the biceps femoris less when landing on unstable surface. Furthermore, participants with smaller knee flexion/extension torque ratio increased biceps femoris/vastus medialis activation ratio at landing. (4) We conclude that hip abduction strength is an important contributor to unilateral vertical jump performance. Because biceps femoris is considered the synergist of the anterior cruciate ligament, we also propose that hip abductors are primary frontal plane protectors of the knee joint by reducing knee valgus and stress, allowing for smaller biceps femoris co-activation (secondary protection) at landing on unstable surface. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Biomechanics for Injury Prevention and Performance)
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15 pages, 303 KiB  
Article
Determining the Prognostic Validity of the Unilateral Horizontal Cyclic Jumps Test in Sprint Performance
by Vesna Babić, Ivan Milinović, Marko Čule and Aleš Dolenec
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(15), 7038; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11157038 - 30 Jul 2021
Viewed by 1353
Abstract
In sports practice, motor tests are commonly used to predict success in specific segments of sprint running, as well as post-injury tests in rehabilitation. The purpose of this analytical cross-sectional study was to determine the prognostic validity of the unilateral horizontal cyclic jumps [...] Read more.
In sports practice, motor tests are commonly used to predict success in specific segments of sprint running, as well as post-injury tests in rehabilitation. The purpose of this analytical cross-sectional study was to determine the prognostic validity of the unilateral horizontal cyclic jumps for a 20 m (UHCJ20m) test on sprint running success. A sample of 118 kinesiology students aged 20.5 ± 1.2 years with an average height of 179.7 ± 6.4 cm and a body mass of 75.6 ± 7.3 kg was used to determine the correlation between the results of the UHCJ20m test and the results of the 20 m sprint start run (MRLS20m), the 20 m sprint flying start run (MRFS20m), and the 100 m run (M100m). The results showed a moderate correlation in all tests (MRLS20m (R = 0.49), MRFS20m (R = 0.53), and M100m (R = 0.38)) with UHCJ20m. In addition to the final result, the multiple regression analysis showed a significant moderate correlation between the kinematic parameters of the UHCJ20m test and the results in the MRLS20m (R = 0.38), MRFS20m (R = 0.49), and M100m (R = 0.37) tests. The stride length (SL) and the contact time (CT) of the UHCJ20m test were statistically significant predictors for the 100 m sprint, the number of steps for MRLS20m, and the SL and the CT for MRFS20m sprint success. Unilateral horizontal cyclic jumps are a significant predictor of success in sprint running, especially for the maximal speed running segment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Biomechanics for Injury Prevention and Performance)
8 pages, 1693 KiB  
Article
A Cadaveric Study of Ulnar Nerve Movement and Strain around the Elbow Joint
by Mitsuyuki Nagashima, Shohei Omokawa, Yasuaki Nakanishi, Pasuk Mahakkanukrauh, Hideo Hasegawa and Yasuhito Tanaka
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(14), 6487; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11146487 - 14 Jul 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1802
Abstract
There is a lack of data on how ulnar nerve strain varies according to the location around the elbow joint. Therefore, we measured the longitudinal movement of the ulnar nerve around the elbow joint. Four fresh-frozen cadaveric upper extremities were used. A linear [...] Read more.
There is a lack of data on how ulnar nerve strain varies according to the location around the elbow joint. Therefore, we measured the longitudinal movement of the ulnar nerve around the elbow joint. Four fresh-frozen cadaveric upper extremities were used. A linear displacement sensor was attached to the ulnar nerve at eight measurement points at 20-mm intervals. At each point, the longitudinal movement of the ulnar nerve was measured during elbow flexion. We calculated the strain on the ulnar nerve based on the change in movement between neighboring points. Ulnar nerve movement with elbow flexion had a maximum value (mean, 10.5 mm; p < 0.001) at 2 cm proximal to the medial epicondyle. In the site distal to the medial epicondyle, the movement was small and demonstrated no significant difference between points (p = 0.1). The change in strain between mild flexion (0–60°) and deep flexion (60–120°) significantly differed at 2–4 cm and 6–8 cm proximal to the medial epicondyle (15% versus 3%, p < 0.01; 5% versus 9%, p < 0.05, respectively). The longitudinal movement of the ulnar nerve during elbow flexion occurred mainly at the site proximal to the medial epicondyle and became smaller away from the medial epicondyle. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Biomechanics for Injury Prevention and Performance)
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12 pages, 272 KiB  
Article
Pre- and Post-Operative Limb Symmetry Indexes and Estimated Preinjury Capacity Index of Muscle Strength as Predictive Factors for the Risk of ACL Reinjury: A Retrospective Cohort Study of Athletes after ACLR
by Martin Rudolf Zore, Nevenka Kregar Velikonja and Mohsen Hussein
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(8), 3498; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11083498 - 14 Apr 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3460
Abstract
Long-term muscle weakness may increase the risk of knee reinjury after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) and of osteoarthritis. The incidence of secondary injuries after ACLR and the predictive value of preoperative and postoperative limb symmetry index (LSI) and estimated preinjury capacity (EPIC) [...] Read more.
Long-term muscle weakness may increase the risk of knee reinjury after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) and of osteoarthritis. The incidence of secondary injuries after ACLR and the predictive value of preoperative and postoperative limb symmetry index (LSI) and estimated preinjury capacity (EPIC) index were studied for predicting the risk of reinjury in a retrospective study. Sixty-three recreational and professional athletes after ACLR with hamstring autograft were followed for secondary injury in the period from 2012 to 2014, 5 years after ACLR. Peak torque values of knee extensor and flexor muscle strength of the involved and uninvolved limb were measured with an isokinetic dynamometer at 60 degrees per second before ACLR and 6 months after ACLR and were used to calculate LSI and EPIC index. The results suggest that the preoperative LSI and EPIC indexes predict a secondary ACL injury better than the postoperative LSI for extensor muscles which is often used as a criterion to determine the time for returning to normal sports activities. Individuals with secondary ACL injuries suffer greater loss of knee extensor muscle strength of the uninvolved limb between preoperative and postoperative ACLR testing compared to the individuals without secondary injury. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Biomechanics for Injury Prevention and Performance)
13 pages, 1682 KiB  
Article
Reliability of a New Portable Dynamometer for Assessing Hip and Lower Limb Strength
by Jan Marušič, Goran Marković and Nejc Šarabon
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(8), 3391; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11083391 - 09 Apr 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3236
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate intra- and inter-session reliability of the new, portable, and externally fixated dynamometer called MuscleBoard® for assessing the strength of hip and lower limb muscles. Hip abduction, adduction, flexion, extension, internal and external rotation, knee [...] Read more.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate intra- and inter-session reliability of the new, portable, and externally fixated dynamometer called MuscleBoard® for assessing the strength of hip and lower limb muscles. Hip abduction, adduction, flexion, extension, internal and external rotation, knee extension, ankle plantarflexion, and Nordic hamstring exercise strength were measured in three sessions (three sets of three repetitions for each test) on 24 healthy and recreationally active participants. Average and maximal value of normalized peak torque (Nm/kg) from three repetitions in each set and agonist:antagonist ratios (%) were statistically analyzed; the coefficient of variation and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC2,k) were calculated to assess absolute and relative reliability, respectively. Overall, the results display high to excellent intra- and inter-session reliability with low to acceptable within-individual variation for average and maximal peak torques in all bilateral strength tests, while the reliability of unilateral strength tests was moderate to good. Our findings indicate that using the MuscleBoard® dynamometer can be a reliable device for assessing and monitoring bilateral and certain unilateral hip and lower limb muscle strength, while some unilateral strength tests require some refinement and more extensive familiarization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Biomechanics for Injury Prevention and Performance)
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11 pages, 14495 KiB  
Article
Lower-Extremity Intra-Joint Coordination and Its Variability between Fallers and Non-Fallers during Gait
by Hassan Sadeghi, Seyed Sadredin Shojaedin, Ali Abbasi, Elham Alijanpour, Marcus Fraga Vieira, Zdeněk Svoboda and Kianoush Nazarpour
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(6), 2840; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11062840 - 22 Mar 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3050
Abstract
Falling is one of the most common causes of hip fracture and death in older adults. A comparison of the biomechanics of the gait in fallers and non-fallers older adults, especially joint coordination and coordination variability, enables the understanding of mechanisms that underpin [...] Read more.
Falling is one of the most common causes of hip fracture and death in older adults. A comparison of the biomechanics of the gait in fallers and non-fallers older adults, especially joint coordination and coordination variability, enables the understanding of mechanisms that underpin falling. Therefore, we compared lower-extremity intra-joint coordination and its variability between fallers and non-fallers older adults during gait. A total of 26 older adults, comprising 13 fallers, took part in this study. The participants walked barefoot at a self-selected speed on a 10-m walkway. Gait kinematics in the dominant leg during 10 cycles were captured with 10 motion tracking cameras at a sampling rate of 100 Hz. Spatiotemporal gait parameters, namely, cadence, walking speed, double support time, stride time, width, and length, as well as intra-joint coordination and coordination variability in the sagittal plane were compared between the two groups. Results showed that fallers walked with significant lower cadence, walking speed, and stride length but greater double support and stride time than non-fallers. Significant differences in the ankle-to-knee, knee-to-hip, and ankle-to-hip coordination patterns between fallers and non-fallers and less coordination variability in fallers compared to non-fallers in some instants of the gait cycles were observed. The differences in spatiotemporal gait parameters in fallers compared to non-fallers may indicate an adaptation resulting from decreased efficiency to decrease the risk of falling. Moreover, the differences in segment coordination and its variability may indicate an inconsistency in neuromuscular control. It may also indicate reduced ability to control the motion of the leg in preparation for foot contact with the ground and the knee and ankle motions during loading response. Finally, such differences may show less control in generating power during the push-off phase in fallers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Biomechanics for Injury Prevention and Performance)
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11 pages, 6237 KiB  
Article
Predictive Validity of the Single Leg Hamstring Bridge Test in Military Settings
by Primož Pori, Bogdan Kovčan, Janez Vodičar, Edvin Dervišević, Damir Karpljuk, Vedran Hadžić and Jožef Šimenko
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(4), 1822; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11041822 - 18 Feb 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3382
Abstract
The hamstrings are biarticular muscle group that plays an important role in the occupational performance of military personnel. The single leg hamstring bridge test (SLHBT) could be a good test to screen military personnel performance. The aims of our study were to assess [...] Read more.
The hamstrings are biarticular muscle group that plays an important role in the occupational performance of military personnel. The single leg hamstring bridge test (SLHBT) could be a good test to screen military personnel performance. The aims of our study were to assess the reproducibility of the SLHBT in the military population and to use receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis to examine the ability of the SLHBT to discriminate between soldiers with poor and good baseline fitness. A cross-sectional study was performed on 201 male members of the Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF). They undertook army physical fitness testing (APFT) and functional physical fitness testing (FPFT), which included the SLHBT. The SLHBT showed acceptable reproducibility in a military setting and had moderate predictive validity to discriminate between soldiers with poor and good overall physical fitness performance using a cut-off value of 20 repetitions. In conclusion, the SLHBT could be a good candidate test for the military population as the ROC analysis showed the ability of the SLHBT to discriminate between soldiers with poor and good baseline fitness. The SLHBT represents a simple and affordable test that can be used to evaluate performance and form preventive guidelines for military personnel. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Biomechanics for Injury Prevention and Performance)
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8 pages, 1249 KiB  
Article
The Medial-Lateral Pedal Force Component Correlates with Q-Angle during Steady-State Cycling at Different Workloads and Cadences
by Borut Fonda, Jan Babič and Nejc Šarabon
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(3), 1004; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11031004 - 22 Jan 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1488
Abstract
Leg movement during cycling is constrained to the pedal/crank path and predominantly occurs in a sagittal plane. Medial-lateral force (FML) applied to the pedals is considered as a waste and does not contribute to the pedaling. The aim of this study was to [...] Read more.
Leg movement during cycling is constrained to the pedal/crank path and predominantly occurs in a sagittal plane. Medial-lateral force (FML) applied to the pedals is considered as a waste and does not contribute to the pedaling. The aim of this study was to examine the changes in FML across different cadences and workloads, and to examine the correlation with lateral knee movement (Q-angle). Twenty-two cyclists completed six trials at three workloads (2, 2.5 and 3 W/kg) and three cadences (75, 85, 95 rpm). Forces were recorded from the force pedal mounted to the left side. Absolute and normalized (to the peak total force) FML were compared across conditions and cross-correlation with Q-angle was calculated. Absolute FML was significantly different across cadences and workloads (p < 0.05) with higher absolute FML at higher cadence. There was no significant difference in normalized FML across the three cadences. There was a significant decrease in normalized FML (~10 N) at higher workloads. Statistically significant correlations were found between the FML and Q-angle (R = 0.70–0.77). The results demonstrate the link between the FML and Q-angle in healthy pain-free cyclists during stationary cycling. It has also been observed that smaller normalized magnitude of the FML is present when the force effectiveness is increased. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Biomechanics for Injury Prevention and Performance)
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