scholarly journals Application of an industrial robot in the sports domain: Simulating the ground contact phase of running

Author(s):  
J A Ronkainen ◽  
R F El-Kati ◽  
P R Fleming ◽  
S E Forrester
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Matthew K. Seeley ◽  
Seong Jun Son ◽  
Hyunsoo Kim ◽  
J. Ty Hopkins

Context: Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is often categorized by researchers and clinicians using subjective self-reported PFP characteristics; however, this practice might mask important differences in movement biomechanics between PFP patients. Objective: To determine whether biomechanical differences exist during a high-demand multiplanar movement task for PFP patients with similar self-reported PFP characteristics but different quadriceps activation levels. Design: Cross-sectional design. Setting: Biomechanics laboratory. Participants: A total of 15 quadriceps deficient and 15 quadriceps functional (QF) PFP patients with similar self-reported PFP characteristics. Intervention: In total, 5 trials of a high-demand multiplanar land, cut, and jump movement task were performed. Main Outcome Measures: Biomechanics were compared at each percentile of the ground contact phase of the movement task (α = .05) between the quadriceps deficient and QF groups. Biomechanical variables included (1) whole-body center of mass, trunk, hip, knee, and ankle kinematics; (2) hip, knee, and ankle kinetics; and (3) ground reaction forces. Results: The QF patients exhibited increased ground reaction force, joint torque, and movement, relative to the quadriceps deficient patients. The QF patients exhibited: (1) up to 90, 60, and 35 N more vertical, posterior, and medial ground reaction force at various times of the ground contact phase; (2) up to 4° more knee flexion during ground contact and up to 4° more plantarflexion and hip extension during the latter parts of ground contact; and (3) up to 26, 21, and 48 N·m more plantarflexion, knee extension, and hip extension torque, respectively, at various times of ground contact. Conclusions: PFP patients with similar self-reported PFP characteristics exhibit different movement biomechanics, and these differences depend upon quadriceps activation levels. These differences are important because movement biomechanics affect injury risk and athletic performance. In addition, these biomechanical differences indicate that different therapeutic interventions may be needed for PFP patients with similar self-reported PFP characteristics.


Sports ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon Snyder ◽  
Shawn Munford ◽  
Chris Connaboy ◽  
Hugh Lamont ◽  
Shala Davis ◽  
...  

The purpose of this study was to compare different methods for assessing plyometric ability during countermovement (CMJ) and drop jumps (DJ) in a group of adults and adolescents. Ten resistance-trained adult men (age: 22.6 ± 1.6 years) and ten adolescent male basketball players (age: 16.5 ± 0.7 years) performed a CMJ and a DJ from a height of 0.40 m. Jump height (JH), contact time, normalized work (WNORM), and power output (PONORM) during the absorption and propulsion phases were calculated from force platforms and 3-D motion analysis data. Plyometric ability was assessed using the modified reactive strength index (RSIMOD during CMJ) and the reactive strength index (RSI during DJ) as well as three indices using propulsion time, propulsion work (PWI), and propulsion power. Adults jumped significantly higher than adolescents (mean difference [MD]: 0.05 m) while JH (MD: 0.05 m) and ground contact time (MD: 0.29 s) decreased significantly from CMJ to DJ. WNORM (MD: 4.2 J/kg) and PONORM (MD: 24.2 W/kg) during the absorption phase of CMJ were significantly less than these variables during the propulsion phases of the jumps. The reactive strength index variants increased significantly from the CMJ to DJ (MD: 0.23) while all other plyometric indices decreased significantly. Neither RSIMOD nor RSI contributed significantly to the prediction of JH during CMJ and DJ, respectively, while PWI was able to explain ≥68% of the variance in JH. Variants of the reactive strength index do not reflect the changes in mechanical variables during the ground contact phase of CMJ and DJ and may not provide an accurate assessment of plyometric ability during different vertical jumps.


2007 ◽  
Vol 102 (1) ◽  
pp. 382-389 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Sousa ◽  
M. Ishikawa ◽  
J. P. Vilas-Boas ◽  
P. V. Komi

The present study was designed to examine fascicle-tendon interaction in the synergistic medial gastrocnemius (MG) and soleus (Sol) muscles during drop jumps (DJ) performed from different drop heights (DH). Eight subjects performed unilateral DJ with maximal rebounds on a sledge apparatus from different DH. During the exercises, fascicle lengths (using ultrasonography) and electromyographic activities were recorded. The results showed that the fascicles of the MG and Sol muscles behaved differently during the contact phase, but the whole muscle-tendon unit and its tendinous tissue lengthened before shortening in both muscles. The Sol fascicles also lengthened before shortening during the ground contact in all conditions. During the braking phase, the Sol activation increased with increasing DH. However, the amplitude of Sol fascicle lengthening was not dependent on DH during the same phase. In the MG muscle, the fascicles primarily shortened during the braking phase in the lower DH condition. However, in the higher DH conditions, the MG fascicles either behaved isometrically or were lengthened during the braking phase. These results suggest that the fascicles of synergistic muscles (MG and Sol) can behave differently during DJ and that, with increasing DH, there may be specific length change patterns of the fascicles of MG but not of Sol.


2006 ◽  
Vol 96 (4) ◽  
pp. 305-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon J. Dixon

Although pressure plates are used to help in the selection of appropriate footwear for runners, evidence relating aspects of pressure data to movement is lacking. A study was conducted to investigate whether center-of-pressure (COP) data obtained for shod running could be used to indicate the amount of rearfoot eversion. It was hypothesized that subjects exhibiting high rearfoot eversion during the initial ground contact phase of running would also show a large lateral-to-medial deviation in the COP. Pressure plate and rearfoot movement data were collected for 33 subjects. The COP was characterized using the lateral-to-medial deviation of the COP during the eversion phase of ground contact. Correlation coefficients were determined for COP deviation versus rearfoot range of motion and versus peak rearfoot eversion (P < .05). In addition, subjects were grouped as high, moderate, or low pronators, and analysis of variance was used to test whether there were significant differences in COP deviation for these three groups (P < .05). The COP deviation was found to have a low correlation with rearfoot range of motion (R = 0.46; P < .05) and with peak rearfoot eversion (R = .54; P < .05). High pronators had significantly higher COP deviation than the medium- and low-pronation groups (P < .05). These findings support the use of COP deviation to detect high pronation. However, caution is advised in using the COP to indicate absolute rearfoot eversion. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 96(4): 305–312, 2006)


Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (17) ◽  
pp. 4996 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haneul Jeon ◽  
Sang Lae Kim ◽  
Soyeon Kim ◽  
Donghun Lee

Classification of foot–ground contact phases, as well as the swing phase is essential in biomechanics domains where lower-limb motion analysis is required; this analysis is used for lower-limb rehabilitation, walking gait analysis and improvement, and exoskeleton motion capture. In this study, sliding-window label overlapping of time-series wearable motion data in training dataset acquisition is proposed to accurately detect foot–ground contact phases, which are composed of 3 sub-phases as well as the swing phase, at a frequency of 100 Hz with a convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture. We not only succeeded in developing a real-time CNN model for learning and obtaining a test accuracy of 99.8% or higher, but also confirmed that its validation accuracy was close to 85%.


2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niels J. Nedergaard ◽  
Mark A. Robinson ◽  
Elena Eusterwiemann ◽  
Barry Drust ◽  
Paulo J. Lisboa ◽  
...  

Purpose:To investigate the relationship between whole-body accelerations and body-worn accelerometry during team-sport movements.Methods:Twenty male team-sport players performed forward running and anticipated 45° and 90° side-cuts at approach speeds of 2, 3, 4, and 5 m/s. Whole-body center-of-mass (CoM) accelerations were determined from ground-reaction forces collected from 1 foot–ground contact, and segmental accelerations were measured from a commercial GPS accelerometer unit on the upper trunk. Three higher-specification accelerometers were also positioned on the GPS unit, the dorsal aspect of the pelvis, and the shaft of the tibia. Associations between mechanical load variables (peak acceleration, loading rate, and impulse) calculated from both CoM accelerations and segmental accelerations were explored using regression analysis. In addition, 1-dimensional statistical parametric mapping (SPM) was used to explore the relationships between peak segmental accelerations and CoM-acceleration profiles during the whole foot–ground contact.Results:A weak relationship was observed for the investigated mechanical load variables regardless of accelerometer location and task (R2 values across accelerometer locations and tasks: peak acceleration .08–.55, loading rate .27–.59, and impulse .02–.59). Segmental accelerations generally overestimated whole-body mechanical load. SPM analysis showed that peak segmental accelerations were mostly related to CoM accelerations during the first 40–50% of contact phase.Conclusions:While body-worn accelerometry correlates to whole-body loading in team-sport movements and can reveal useful estimates concerning loading, these correlations are not strong. Body-worn accelerometry should therefore be used with caution to monitor whole-body mechanical loading in the field.


2009 ◽  
Vol 1 (sup1) ◽  
pp. 3-5
Author(s):  
J.A. Ronkainen ◽  
M. Roberts ◽  
R.F.M. El Kati ◽  
P.R. Fleming ◽  
S.E. Forrester

1985 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 240-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antti Mero ◽  
Paavo V. Komi

The effects of running at supramaximal velocity on biomechanical variables were studied in 13 male and 9 female sprinters. Cinematographical analysis was employed to investigate the biomechanics of the running technique. In supramaximal running the velocity increased by 8.5%, stride rate by 1.7%, and stride length by 6.8% over that of the normal maximal running. The elite male sprinters increased their stride rate significantly but did not increase their stride length. The major biomechanical differences between supramaximal and maximal running occurred during the contact phase. In supramaximal running the inclination of the ground shank at the beginning of eccentric phase was more "braking" and the angle of the ground knee was greater. During the ground contact phase, the maximal horizontal velocity of the swinging thigh was faster. The duration of the contact phase was shorter and the flight phase was longer in the supramaximal run as compared to the maximal run. It was concluded that in supramaximal effort it is possible to run at a higher stride rate than in maximal running. Data suggest that supramaximal sprinting can be beneficial in preparing for competition and as an additional stimulus for the neuromuscular system during training. This may result in adaptation of the neuromuscular system to a higher performance level.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott C. Wearing ◽  
Larissa Kuhn ◽  
Torsten Pohl ◽  
Thomas Horstmann ◽  
Torsten Brauner

Submaximal vertical hopping capitalizes on the strain energy storage-recovery mechanism associated with the stretch-shortening cycle and is emerging as an important component of progressive rehabilitation protocols in Achilles tendon injury and a determinant of readiness to return to sport. This study explored the reliability of transmission mode ultrasound in quantifying the instantaneous modulus of elasticity of human Achilles tendon during repetitive submaximal hopping. A custom-built ultrasound transmission device, consisting of a 1 MHz broadband emitter and four regularly spaced receivers, was used to measure the axial velocity of ultrasound in the Achilles tendon of six healthy young adults (mean ± SD; age 26 ± 5 years; height 1.78 ± 0.11 m; weight 79.8 ± 13.6 kg) during steady-state unilateral hopping (2.5 Hz) on a piezoelectric force plate. Vertical ground reaction force and lower limb joint kinematics were simultaneously recorded. The potential sensitivity of the technique was further explored in subset of healthy participants (n = 3) that hopped at a slower rate (1.8 Hz) and a patient who had undergone Achilles tendon rupture-repair (2.5 Hz). Reliability was estimated using the mean-within subject coefficient of variation calculated at each point during the ground-contact phase of hopping, while cross-correlations were used to explore the coordination between lower limb kinematics ground reaction forces and ultrasound velocity in the Achilles tendon. Axial velocity of ultrasound in the Achilles tendon was highly reproducible during hopping, with the mean within-subject coefficient of variation ranging between 0.1 and 2.0% across participants. Ultrasound velocity decreased immediately following touch down (−19 ± 13 ms–1), before increasing by 197 ± 81 ms–1, on average, to peak at 2230 ± 87 ms–1 at 67 ± 3% of ground contact phase in healthy participants. Cross-correlation analysis revealed that ultrasound velocity in the Achilles tendon during hopping was strongly associated with knee (mean r = 0.98, range 0.95–1.00) rather than ankle (mean r = 0.67, range 0.35–0.79) joint motion. Ultrasound velocity was sensitive to changes in hopping frequency in healthy adults and in the surgically repaired Achilles tendon was characterized by a similar peak velocity (2283 ± 13 ms–1) but the change in ultrasound velocity (447 ± 21 ms–1) was approximately two fold that of healthy participants (197 ± 81 ms–1). Although further research is required, the technique can be used to reliably monitor ultrasound velocity in the Achilles tendon during hopping, can detect changes in the instantaneous elastic modulus of tendon with variation in hopping frequency and tendon pathology and ultimately may provide further insights into the stretch-shortening cycle and aid clinical decision concerning tendon rehabilitation protocols and readiness to return to sport.


1984 ◽  
Vol 52 (03) ◽  
pp. 221-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Christe ◽  
P Gattlen ◽  
J Fritschi ◽  
B Lämmle ◽  
W Berger ◽  
...  

SummaryThe contact phase has been studied in diabetics and patients with macroangiopathy. Factor XII and high molecular weight kininogen (HMWK) are normal. C1-inhibitor and also α2-macroglobulin are significantly elevated in diabetics with complications, for α1-macroglobulin especially in patients with nephropathy, 137.5% ± 36.0 (p <0.001). C1-inhibitor is also increased in vasculopathy without diabetes 113.2 ± 22.1 (p <0.01).Prekallikrein (PK) is increased in all patients’ groups (Table 2) as compared to normals. PK is particularly high (134% ± 32) in 5 diabetics without macroangiopathy but with sensomotor neuropathy. This difference is remarkable because of the older age of diabetics and the negative correlation of PK with age in normals.


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