scholarly journals Technique Selection ‘the Coaches Challenge’ Influencing Injury Risk During the First Contact Hand of the Round off Skill in Female Gymnastics

2017 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roman Farana ◽  
Daniel Jandacka ◽  
Jaroslav Uchytil ◽  
David Zahradnik ◽  
Gareth Irwin

AbstractThe importance of technique selection on elbow injury risk has been identified for the key round off skill in female gymnastics, with a focus on the second contact limb. The aim of this study was to shift the focus to the first contact limb and investigate the biomechanical injury risk during parallel and T-shape round-off (RO) techniques. Seven international-level female gymnasts performed 10 trials of the RO to back-handspring with parallel and T-shape hand positions. Synchronized kinematic (3D motion analysis system; 247 Hz) and kinetic (two force plates; 1235 Hz) data were collected for each trial. The t-test with effect size statistics determined differences between the two techniques. No significant differences were found for vertical, anterior posterior and resultant ground reaction force, elbow joint kinematics and kinetics. Specifically, the results highlighted that change in technique in RO skills did not influence first contact limb elbow joint mechanics and therefore, injury risk. The findings of the present study suggest the injury potential of this skill is focused on the second limb during the parallel technique of this fundamental gymnastic skill.

2002 ◽  
Vol 14 (01) ◽  
pp. 40-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
PEI-HSI CHOU ◽  
SHEN-KAI CHEN ◽  
YOU-LI CHOU ◽  
FONG-CHIN SU ◽  
YUNG-CHIN SHI ◽  
...  

Elbow joint loading was evaluated during a forward fall at various elbow initial flexion angles, in order to determine which is the best elbow initial flexion angles to prevent the elbow injury during a fall. Subjects were asked to perform a forward fall and followed by a push-up motion in different elbow initial flexion angles: 0°, 20°, 40° and unrestricted group. Fall on the outstretched hand is the leading cause of upper extremity injury. There are far more extension type of supra-condylar fracture of the elbow than flexion type. Flexion of the elbow may represent the effects of damper and spring. Using the motion analysis system, the kinematics and kinetics of the elbow joint were investigated under various elbow initial flexion angles. The loading biomechanics of the elbow joint differed with various elbow initial flexion angles. The ground reaction forces decrease with increase of elbow flexion upon impact. Different initial elbow flexion angles would affect the biomechanics of upper extremities during falls. Forward fall with elbow in extension is more dangerous. Knowledge of elbow kinematics and kinetics may be helpful in preventing injuries by reducing the ground reaction force with changes of the elbow initial flexion angles during a fall.


2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
pp. 1220-1225
Author(s):  
John Mayberry ◽  
Scott Mullen ◽  
Scott Murayama

Background: The incidence rate of elbow injuries has been rising in recent years among professional baseball pitchers. Determining valid screening procedures that allow practitioners to identify pitchers at an increased risk of such injuries is therefore of critical importance. Purpose: To validate the use of countermovement jump (CMJ) tests as a diagnostic tool for pitcher conditioning. Study Design: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: More than 500 pitchers at a single professional baseball organization performed preseason CMJ assessments on a force plate before the 2013 to 2018 seasons. Three measurements were extracted from ground-reaction force data during the test: eccentric rate of force development (ERFD), average vertical concentric force (AVCF), and concentric vertical impulse (CVI). Athletic trainers at the organization collected detailed information on elbow and shoulder injury rates as well as workload (pitch count) throughout the rest of the season. Poisson regression models were fit to investigate the dependency of injury rates on CMJ test performance. Results: ERFD, CVI, and AVCF were all significant predictors of elbow injury risk after accounting for pitcher age, weight, and workload. The analysis identified 3 specific indicators of heightened risk based on the results of a CMJ scan: low ERFD, a combination of low AVCF and high CVI, and a combination of high AVCF and low CVI. In contrast, shoulder injury risk was roughly independent of all 3 CMJ test measurements. Conclusion: This study supports the hypothesis of the entire kinetic chain’s involvement in pitching by establishing a link between CMJ test performance and elbow injury risk in professional baseball pitchers. CMJ assessment may be a powerful addition to injury risk alert and prevention protocols. Pitchers in high-risk groups can be prescribed specific exercise plans to improve movement imbalances.


2007 ◽  
Vol 07 (03) ◽  
pp. 265-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. N. SHASMIN ◽  
N. A. ABU OSMAN ◽  
R. RAZALI ◽  
J. USMAN ◽  
W. A. B. WAN ABAS

Backpack carrying is a considerable daily "occupational" load among schoolchildren. Most of the research on children's backpacks have focused on gait pattern and trunk forward lean; only a few researches have investigated the impact of backpack carrying on children using the measurements of static posture and gait kinetics. This study investigated the changes in ground reaction force (GRF) and trunk inclination among primary students when carrying heavy backpacks. A randomized controlled experimental study was conducted on seven boys aged between 9 and 11 years old with a similar body mass index. Observations were done when the boys were carrying school bags of 0% (as control), 10%, 15%, and 20% of their own body weight while walking normally. Data acquisition was carried out using force platforms and a 3D motion analysis system. A significant difference in GRF at a load of 20% of body weight was found: the vertical GRF increased almost three times when loads increased up to 20% of body weight compared to 10% of body weight. The anterior–posterior GRFs were asymmetrical when loads were increased. When carrying a load of 15% of body weight, all of the seven subjects adopted a compensatory trunk inclination. The emphasis on GRF and trunk inclination suggests that the safest load applied does not exceed 15% of body weight.


2010 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 270-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kavi C. Jagadamma ◽  
Elaine Owen ◽  
Fiona J. Coutts ◽  
Janet Herman ◽  
Jacqueline Yirrell ◽  
...  

The effects of tuning the AFO footwear combination (AFOFC) for an adult with post-stroke hemiplegia were investigated. Gait analysis and tuning were carried out using a Vicon 3D motion analysis system and two force plates. Tuning of the AFOFC was accomplished by gradually modifying its design over a number of gait trials, to achieve optimal (i.e., as close as possible to normal, within the capability of the patient) knee kinematics and alignment of the Ground Reaction Force vector (GRF) relative to the knee joint. Heel wedges and a stiff rocker were used to tune mid-stance and terminal stance, respectively. Temporal-spatial parameters and selected kinetic and kinematic variables were compared between the non-tuned AFOFC, the tuned AFOFC immediately after tuning, and the tuned AFOFC after three months. There were several changes after three months compared to the non-tuned AFOFC, including improvement in stride length and a reduction in knee hyperextension. A subjective reduction in knee pain and improvement in function were also reported. The feasibility and the lack of objective evidence of tuning AFOFCs as a part of a clinical service need to be addressed in future research.


2008 ◽  
Vol 20 (04) ◽  
pp. 197-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pei-Hsi Chou ◽  
Shu-Zon Lou ◽  
Shen-Kai Chen ◽  
Hsin-Chieh Chen ◽  
Tsung-Hsien Wu ◽  
...  

The purpose of this study was to investigate the static and dynamic forces within the joints during push-up loading of the upper extremity. Ten healthy male students volunteered for this study. They were asked to complete six sets of push-ups in five different hand positions. The Expert Vision Motion Analysis System with six CCD cameras, and a Kistler force plate was used to measure the relative joint position and ground reaction force. Hand position was found to have a statistically significant effect on the axial force. The maximum axial force decreased from "normal" when hands were placed "apart" (45.0% BW, p = 0.012) or "superior" (44.5% BW, p = 0.01). Hand position had a significant effect on the flexion moment of the elbow joint. A greater reduction of flexion torque at 997.3 N-cm (p = 0.001) was experienced with hands "apart." Greater flexion torque existed throughout the cycle with hands "together" and equaled 2301.4 N-cm (p = 0.002). This study provides information about the kinematic and kinetic patterns of the upper extremities, and how hand position affects intersegmental loading. Attention must be given to the valgus torque encountered during push-up exercises. Patients with medial collateral ligament repair and total elbow arthroplasty should be protected from such exercises immediately post-treatment.


Author(s):  
Mareike Schmitt ◽  
Lutz Vogt ◽  
Jan Wilke ◽  
Daniel Niederer

Abstract Background Excessive unilateral joint loads may lead to overuse disorders. Bilateral training in archery is only performed as a supportive coordination training and as a variation of typical exercise. However, a series of studies demonstrated a crossover transfer of training-induced motor skills to the contralateral side, especially in case of mainly unilateral skills. We compared the cervical spine and shoulder kinematics of unilateral and bilateral training archers. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 25 (5 females, 48 ± 14 years) bilaterally training and 50 age-, sex- and level-matched (1:2; 47.3 ± 13.9 years) unilaterally training competitive archers were included. Cervical range of motion (RoM, all planes) and glenohumeral rotation were assessed with an ultrasound-based 3D motion analysis system. Upward rotation of the scapula during abduction and elevation of the arm were measured by means of a digital inclinometer and active shoulder mobility by means of an electronic caliper. All outcomes were compared between groups (unilaterally vs. bilaterally) and sides (pull-hand- vs. bow-hand-side). Results Unilateral and bilateral archers showed no between group and no side-to-side-differences in either of the movement direction of the cervical spine. The unilateral archers had higher pull-arm-side total glenohumeral rotation than the bilateral archers (mean, 95% CI), (148°, 144–152° vs. 140°, 135°-145°). In particular, internal rotation (61°, 58–65° vs. 56°, 51–61°) and more upward rotation of the scapula at 45 degrees (12°, 11–14° vs. 8°, 6–10°), 90 degrees (34°, 31–36° vs. 28°, 24–32°), 135 degrees (56°, 53–59° vs. 49°, 46–53°), and maximal (68°, 65–70° vs. 62°, 59–65°) arm abduction differed. The bow- and pull-arm of the unilateral, but not of the bilateral archers, differed in the active mobility of the shoulder (22 cm, 20–24 cm vs. 18 cm, 16–20 cm). Conclusions Unilaterally training archers display no unphysiologic movement behaviour of the cervical spine, but show distinct shoulder asymmetris in the bow- and pull-arm-side when compared to bilateral archers in glenohumeral rotation, scapula rotation during arm abduction, and active mobility of the shoulder. These asymmetries in may exceed physiological performance-enhancing degrees. Bilateral training may seems appropriate in archery to prevent asymmetries.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 4562
Author(s):  
Chien-Chung Kuo ◽  
Hsing-Po Huang ◽  
Hsuan-Yu Lu ◽  
Tsan-Yang Chen ◽  
Ting-Ming Wang ◽  
...  

Impaired motor control and musculotendon tightness in the lower extremities are characteristic features of patients with diplegic cerebral palsy (CP). Tendon release surgery (TRS) helps improve joint and leg stiffness, but the effects of TRS on inter-limb coordination in terms of the total leg stiffness, and the bilateral symmetry in leg stiffness during gait, remain unknown. Ten children with spastic diplegic CP scheduled for TRS and ten healthy controls participated in this study. The inter-limb sharing of total leg stiffness during double-limb support phase and bilateral leg stiffness symmetry during stance phase of gait were calculated using the kinematic and ground reaction force data measured by a motion analysis system. Before TRS, the patients with diplegic CP walked with a decreased share of total leg stiffness during weight-acceptance (p < 0.05) and with increased bilateral leg stiffness asymmetry during single-limb support and weight-transfer during gait (p < 0.05) when compared to healthy controls. After TRS, the bilateral leg stiffness asymmetry was significantly reduced in the CP group, especially in the terminal stance phase, with inter-limb sharing of total leg stiffness becoming similar to that in controls (p > 0.05). The surgery seemed to improve the lower limb control and increased the bilateral limb symmetry during gait.


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.


Author(s):  
Lin Fu ◽  
Yaodong Gu ◽  
Qichang Mei ◽  
Julien S Baker ◽  
Justin Fernandez

The study aimed to investigate the differences in lower limb joint angles during running with three different sports shoes: basketball shoes, football shoes, and running shoes. Fifteen male subjects (age: 25 ± 2.2 years, height: 1.79 ± 0.05 m, and mass: 70.8 ± 3.4 kg) were asked to run on a treadmill at their preferred running speed. The Vicon 3D motion analysis system was used to capture the kinematics of the lower extremity during running. A one-way analysis of variance was used to determine whether any statistical significance existed between the three types of shoes (α < 0.05). Significant differences existed in the lower limb joints between the three sports shoes, particularly at the knee joint. Running shoes presented more knee flexion than basketball shoes and football shoes. In the frontal plane, basketball shoes showed less knee abduction than running shoes and football shoes. No significant difference occurred in ankle external rotation between basketball shoes and football shoes, and both of them presented greater range of motion of the ankle and knee than running shoes.


2013 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 80-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soledad Echegoyen ◽  
Takeshi Aoyama ◽  
Cristina Rodríguez

Zapateado is a repetitive percussive footwork in dance. This percussive movement, and the differences in technique, may be risk factors for injury. A survey on zapateado dance students found a rate of 1.5 injuries/1,000 exposures. Knee injuries are more frequent than in Spanish dancers than folkloric dancers. The aim of this research was to study the relationship between technique and ground reaction force between zapateado on Spanish and Mexican folkloric dancers. Ten female dance students (age 22.4 ± 4 yrs), six Spanish dancers and four Mexican folkloric dancers, were considered. Each student performed zapateado with a flat foot, wearing high-heeled shoes during 5 seconds on a force platform. Videotapes were taken on a lateral plane, and knee and hip angles in each movement phase were measured with Dartfish software. Additionally, knee and ankle flexor and extensor strength was measured with a dynamometer. Ground reaction forces were lower for Spanish dancers than Mexican folkloric dancers. Spanish dancers had less knee flexion when the foot contacted to the ground than did Mexican folkloric dancers. On Spanish dancers, the working leg had more motion in relation to hip and knee angles than was seen in folkloric dancers. The ankle extensors were stronger on folkloric dancers, and there were no differences for the other muscle groups. Knee flexion at foot contact and muscle strength imbalance could be risk factors for injuries. It is suggested that the technique in Spanish dance in Mexico be reviewed, although more studies are required to define more risk factors.


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