Human Movement Science Research Papers (original) (raw)

This study investigates validity of the Motor Observation Questionnaire for Teachers (MOQ-T) in 182 children aged 5-10 years, 91 children referred for motor problems to a rehabilitation center and 91 comparison children. Performance on the MOQ-T was compared to performance on the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (M-ABC) and the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCD-Q). Significant correlations were obtained between the MOQ-T and the DCD-Q (r = À.63), and the MOQ-T and the M-ABC (r = .57). The MOQ-T discriminated between children at risk for DCD and comparison children. Sensitivity of the MOQ-T was 80.5%, specificity 62% with the M-ABC as 'gold standard'. These results support the validity of the MOQ-T as a screening instrument for identification of children at risk for DCD. address: M.M.Schoemaker@RUG.NL (M.M. Schoemaker).

- by
- •
- Engineering, Human Movement Science, Developmental Coordination Disorder, Faculty

In order to investigate which kind of information is coupled to which part of the prehensile action, subjects reached for and picked up a tube of 15 mm in diameter. The following tubes were used: one transparent and one black tube both 20 grams in weight, and one transparent and one black tube both 200 grams in weight. The transparent tubes gave a fragile impression in contrast to the black tubes. Weight of the tubes was not visually accessible. The prehension movement was divided into a free-motion phase and an in-contact phase. The free-motion phase refers to the period between the moment of initiation of the reaching movement and the moment of first contact with the object. The in-contact phase refers to the period between the moment of contact and the moment the tube is lifted. The results showed that fragility information influenced the duration of the free-motion phase: the deceleration phase was significantly longer and the appearance of the peak closing velocity of the fingers occurred significantly later. The weight information influenced the in-contact phase: for the 200 grams tube this phase was significant longer in comparison to the 20 grams tube. The findings imply that the movement towards the object, and in particular the closing of the fingers, is controlled by visual (fragility) information, while the in-contact phase is coupled to weight information. Furthermore, the experiment showed that previous haptic information about fragility is actually used in the visual regulation of a subsequent prehensile movement, because after contact with a fragile looking, but in fact solid tube, the free-motion phase of the subsequent prehensile action is shortened.

- by Bert Steenbergen
- •
- Engineering, Human Movement Science

Ecological dynamics is a contemporary theory of skill acquisition, advocating the mutuality of the performer-environment system, with clear implications for the design of innovative training environments in elite sport. It contends that performance behaviours emerge, and are adapted, by athletes satisfying a confluence of constraints impacting on their structural and functional capacities, the physics of a performance environment and the intended task goals. This framework implicates contemporary models of coaching, training design and sport science support, to stimulate continuous interactions between an individual and performance environment, predicated on representative learning designs (RLD). While theoretical principles of RLD in ecological dynamics are tangible, their practical application in elite and high level (team) sports need verification. Here, we exemplify how data sampled from a high-performance team sport setting could underpin innovative methodologies to support practitioners in designing representative training activities. We highlight how the use of principles grounded within ecological dynamics, along with data from performance analytics, could suggest contemporary models of coaching and preparation for performance in elite sport. Key points  Ecological dynamics is a contemporary theory of skill acquisition that encourages practitioners to design performer-environment interactions in training, through the conceptualisation of athletes and sports teams as complex adaptive systems.  Utilising this framework has the potential to change the role of practitioners from one of prescribing movement solutions, to one of a learning activity designer that encourages selforganisation and co-adaptation between athletes in local interactions.  Interdisciplinary collaborations between performance analysts, skill acquisition specialists and sport practitioners could ensure that the design of learning activities are representative of the demands of competitive performance, with implications for efficient and effective use of practice and training time.

Young infants produce a variety of spontaneous arm and leg movements in the first few months of life. Coordination of leg joints has been extensively investigated, whereas arm joint coordination has mainly been investigated in the sitting position in the context of early reaching and grasping. The current study investigated arm and leg joint coordination of movements produced in the supine position in 10 fullterm infants aged 6, 12 and 18 weeks. Longitudinal comparisons within limbs (intralimb) as well as between limbs (interlimb, ipsilateral and contralateral) were made as well as an exploration of differences in the development for boys and girls. The relationship between the joint angles was examined by measuring pair-wise crosscorrelation functions for the angular displacement curves of the leg (hip, knee and ankle) and arm (shoulder, elbow and wrist) joints of both the right and left side. Both the arms and legs were found to follow a similar pattern of intralimb coordination, although the leg joints were more tightly coupled than the arm joints, particularly the proximal with the middle joint. In support of earlier findings, differences in the development of the right and left side were identified. In addition, gender differences in joint coordination were found for both intralimb and interlimb coordination. This contrasts with the view that gender differences in motor development may be primarily a result of environmental influences.

- by Natalie Gasson
- •
- Engineering, Motor Development, Child Development, Laterality
- by Joan Stevenson
- •
- Engineering, Neuromuscular Control, Human Movement Science, Low back pain

Quality teaching is inseparable from the
learning strategies applied in delivering material in theory
and practice. However, implementing learning strategies
that will provide meaningful learning and a learning
atmosphere for students is not an easy matter because
students are unique individuals, different from one another,
especially in their cognitive, affective, and psychomotor
aspects. Based on this, lecturers must have sufficient
initiative, knowledge, competence, and adequate
conceptual power to implement an effective lecture
strategy. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of
learning freestyle swimming by using the ISLAMT2E
learning strategy for students. This study used an
experimental method with a randomized pretest-posttest
control group. The research subjects were 40 people in the
experimental group and 40 people in the control group. The
conclusion of this study proves that learning to swim
freestyle using the ISLAMT2E strategy on static swimming
tools has been proven to be effective in improving students'
swimming skills. The magnitude of the increase in
students' swimming skills in the experimental group was
seven people (17.5%) in the low category, 33 people
(82.5%) had the moderate category, and 0% high category.
In the control group, the increase in swimming in the low
category was 31 people (77.5%), nine people (22.5%) in
the moderate category, and the high category 0%. This
means that there are differences in learning outcomes of
freestyle swimming skills between the experimental group
and the control group.

The ability to adequately avoid obstacles while walking is an important skill that allows safe locomotion over uneven terrain. The high proportion of falls in the elderly that is associated to tripping over obstacles potentially illustrates an age-related deterioration of this locomotor skill. Some studies have compared young and old adults, but very little is known about the changes occurring within different age groups of elderly. In the present study, obstacle avoidance performance was studied in 25 young (20-37 years) and 99 older adults (65-88 years). The participants walked on a treadmill at a speed of 3 km/h. An obstacle was dropped 30 times in front of the left foot at various phases in the step cycle. Success rates (successful avoidance) were calculated and related to the time available between obstacle appearance and the estimated instant of foot contact with the obstacle (available response times or ARTs ranging from 200 to more than 350 ms). In addition, latencies of avoidance reactions, the choice of avoidance strategies (long or short step strategy, LSS or SSS), and three spatial parameters related to obstacle avoidance (toe distance, foot clearance, and heel distance) were determined for each participant. Compared to the young, the older adults had lower success rates, especially at short ARTs. Furthermore, they had longer reaction times, more LSS reactions, smaller toe and heel distances, and larger foot clearances. Within the group of elderly, only the 65-69 year olds were not different from young adults with respect to success rate, despite marked changes in the other parameters measured. In particular, even this younger group of elderly showed a dramatic .nl (V. Weerdesteyn).

- by B. Nienhuis
- •
- Engineering, Aging, Locomotion, Human Movement Science

Recent advances in the fields of cerebral blood flow analysis, single cell brain recordings and human motor performance have elaborated the unique characteristics of movement disturbance in Parkinson's disease. These lines of research suggest that the basal ganglia have two major functions in motor control. The first is concerned with the maintenance of preparedness for movement, known as 'motor set'. The second function is the provision of internal motor cues which act to trigger submovements in well learned sequences. Disturbance to these mechanisms leads to the classic hallmarks of Parkinson's disease: hypokinesia, akinesia, rigidity and tremor.

- by Robert Iansek
- •
- Engineering, Motor Control, Physical Therapy, Human Movement Science

Optimal control models of biological movements introduce external task factors to specify the pace of movements. Here, we present the dual to the principle of optimality based on a conserved quantity, called “drive”, that represents the influence of internal motivation level on movement pace. Optimal control and drive conservation provide equivalent descriptions for the regularities observed within individual movements. For regularities across movements, drive conservation predicts a previously unidentified scaling law between the overall size and speed of various self-paced hand movements in the absence of any external tasks, which we confirmed with psychophysical experiments. Drive can be interpreted as a high-level control variable that sets the overall pace of movements and may be represented in the brain as the tonic levels of neuromodulators that control the level of internal motivation, thus providing insights into how internal states affect biological motor control.

- by Dongsung Huh
- •
- Psychology, Optimal Control, Motivation (Psychology), Human Motor Behavior

The purpose of the present study was to examine the eVectiveness of imagery on muscular endurance, dynamic balance, and functional stability in athletes who sustained a grade II ankle sprain. The sample consisted of 20 active athletes (aged from 18 to 30 years) with a grade II ankle sprain, as con-Wrmed by ultrasound testing. The participants were randomly divided into two groups of 10 participants each; one experimental and one control group. The experimental group received 12 individual sessions of imagery rehearsal in addition to a normal course of physical therapy, while the control group followed only the physical therapy treatment. Results revealed signiWcant diVerences only in the variable of muscular endurance. This study partly supports the contribution of imagery to the functional rehabilitation of grade II ankle sprain. Further research should be conducted to examine the eVect of imagery on the functional rehabilitation of sport injuries using other tests of functional rehabilitation along with larger sample sizes.

- by Ana Christakou
- •
- Engineering, Ultrasound, Adolescent, Physical Therapy

Mature locomotion in humans is characterized by an anti-phase coordination (moving in opposite directions) between the pelvic and the scapular girdles. This pattern involves a specific relationship between the arm and leg motion is deemed to be most flexible and dynamically efficient. Still, when the arms are involved in another task, like a field player running with a ball in the hands, locomotion is still possible. In order to probe the flexibility of the locomotor synergy, the present study aimed to determine the persistence and the strength of the coordination patterns between the pelvic and scapular girdles when no arm swing was allowed during walking and running. Relative phase, the time difference between the girdle rotations, measured the ongoing inter-girdle coordination of eight healthy participants asked to walk and run with or without arm swing. Results showed that an absence of arm swing led to a change from an anti-phase to in-phase pattern (girdles moving in the same direction) and that an increase in velocity strengthened the adopted pattern. Moreover, the frequency distribution of relative phase for all gait patterns with arm swing proved to be bimodal, indicating that the prevailing anti-phase pattern was always mixed with a noticeable proportion of in-phase coordination. The presence of the in-phase pattern in the easy, natural locomotion with arm swing manifests its persistence and its stability, perhaps pertaining to its prevalence in earlier times in ontogeny or evolution.

- by Pier-Giorgio Zanone
- •
- Engineering, Dynamical Systems, Adaptation, Running

The goal of this study is to develop a mathematical model that can describe the dissipation and attenuation of the shock wave initiated during the impact of the foot striking the ground. A three-degree-of-freedom spring-damper--mass system was conceived as an equivalent model of the lower extremity. The mathematical model that was developed was used to investigate the shock absorption phenomena of the human body. The model and solution procedure were verified by a drop test. The instant of the impact of landing was assumed to be equivalent to foot strike transients.

- by Stanley Johnson
- •
- Engineering, Human Movement Science

Digital technologies are now considered important in shaping young people's engagement in and with health and physical activity. Recent discussions show that the use of digital technologies to track health and fitness may over-emphasize the linear understanding of the body and health generally underpinned by Western health ideologies such as healthism. Other studies have shown the increased use of digital technologies in teaching Health and Physical Education (HPE) and as a means to enhance health and increase physical activity. Despite the opportunities and risks apparent in these studies, little is known about how HPE students make choices, negotiate, and resist or embrace the digitalisation of physical activity, exercise, and more broadly health. This study examines HPE students' meaning making of risk and surveillance associated with the self-digitisation of exercise. The study further investigates how the concept of 'prosumption'; the production, curation and consumption of self-data within the context of digitised health and physical activity, is understood. Based on the findings, we have constructed a typology of prosumers that can be used as a pedagogical device to illustrate the various kinds of subject positions students take up with digital technology in health and physical activity. This study extends the current understanding of prosumers by identifying the 'ambivalent prosumer'. The results provide insights that have direct pedagogical implications in HPE teacher education specifically in the areas of knowledge production and consumption of knowledge through digital technology in health and physical activity.

- by Valeria Varea
- •
- Teacher Education, Digital Technology, Digital Culture, Surveillance Studies

The present study focuses on the intricate relationship between human body movement and music, in particular on how music may influence the way humans walk. In an experiment, participants were asked to synchronize their walking tempo with... more

- by Leon van Noorden and +1
- •
- Engineering, Music, Auditory Perception, Synchronization

Despite the fact that developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is characterised by a deficit in the ability to learn or automate motor skills, few studies have examined motor learning over repeated trials. In this study we examined procedural learning in a group of 10 children with DCD (aged 8-12 years) and age-matched controls without DCD. The learning task was modelled on that of Nissen and Bullemer [Cognitive Psychology 19 (1987) 1]. Children performed a serial reaction time (SRT) task in which they were required to learn a spatial sequence that repeated itself every 10 trials. Children were not aware of the repetition. Spatial targets were four (horizontal) locations presented on a computer monitor. Children responded using four response keys with the same horizontal mapping as the stimulus. They were tested over five blocks of 100 trials each. The first four blocks presented the same repeating sequence, while the fifth block was randomised. Procedural learning was indexed by the slope of the regression of RT on blocks 1-4. Results showed that most children displayed strong procedural learning of the sequence, despite having no explicit knowledge about it. Overall, there was no group difference in the magnitude of learning over blocks of trials -most children performed within the normal range. Procedural learning for simple sequential movements appears to be intact in children with DCD. This suggests that cortico-striatal circuits that are strongly implicated in the sequencing of simple movements appear to be function normally in DCD.

- by Peter Wilson
- •
- Engineering, Cognitive Psychology, Motor Learning, Attention

Ripoll, H., C. Bard and J. Paillard, 1986. Stabilization of head and eyes on target as a factor in successful basketball shooting. Human Movement Science 5, 47-58. 0167-9457/86/$3.50 0 1986, Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. (North-Holland)

- by Hubert Ripoll
- •
- Engineering, Human Movement Science

The effect of attentional focus in bimanual coordination was investigated from a developmental perspective by examining performance of right-and left-handed children, 5-8-years and 9-12-years old, on bimanual reciprocal tapping tasks. Attentional focus was either specified, by asking the children to attend to the preferred or to the non-preferred hand, or unspecified for the execution of the tasks. When attention was oriented to the non-preferred hand we found a reduced movement time and a lower frequency of errors. Performance differences for handedness and age-groups were observed when the children were oriented to attend to the preferred hand or when there was no instruction regarding attention. These differences in performance were eliminated when attention was oriented to the non-preferred hand.

- by ana pellegrini
- •
- Engineering, Motor Development, Attention, Handedness

te concerning a w-en pitous observatio bernethy and obert J. Neal University 01 Quemdan~ Burgess-Limerick. R.. B. Abemethy and R.J. Neal, 1991. Experience and backswing movement time variability: A short note concerning a serendipitous observation (Research note). Human Movement Science 1% 621-627. 0167-9457/91/$03.50 0 1991 -Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. -411 rights reserved

- by Robin Burgess-Limerick
- •
- Engineering, Human Movement Science

This study examined muscular activity patterns of extensor and flexor muscles and variability of forces during static and dynamic tracking tasks using compensatory and pursuit display. Fourteen volunteers performed isometric actions in two conditions: (i) a static tracking task consisting of flexion/pronation, ulnar deviation, extension/supination and radial deviation of the wrist at 20% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC), and (ii) a dynamic tracking task aiming at following a moving target at 20% MVC in the four directions of contraction. Surface electromyography (SEMG) from extensor carpi ulnaris, extensor carpi radialis, flexor carpi ulnaris and flexor digitorum superficialis muscles and exerted forces in the transverse and sagittal plane were recorded. Normalized root mean square and mutual information (index of functional connectivity within muscles) of SEMGs and the standard deviation and sample entropy of force signals were extracted. Larger SEMG amplitudes were found for the dynamic task (p&amp;lt;.05), while normalized mutual information between muscle pairs was larger for the static task (p&amp;lt;.05). Larger size of variability (standard deviation of force) concomitant with smaller sample entropy was observed for the dynamic task compared with the static task (p&amp;lt;.01 for both). These findings underline a rescaling of the muscles&amp;#39; respective contribution influencing force variability relying on feedback and feed-forward control strategies in relation to display modes during static and dynamic tracking tasks.

- by Afshin Samani and +1
- •
- Engineering, Psychophysics, Skeletal muscle biology, Motion perception
- by Jill Whitall
- •
- Engineering, Motor Control, Exercise therapy, Human Movement Science

The height of the net scaling accordance with the physical size is important to improve performance and produce optimal shot kinematic characteristics in children. This study aimed to identify the average rate of optimal net height scaling among children aged seven to nine years. This study uses an experimental design with a total of 48 children randomly selected as study participants. Participants were divided into 24 pairs (boys = 12 pairs, female = 12 pairs) which were equivalent in terms of skill level and gender. All participants played against their respective pairs using four net height situations namely JP (155 cm), JM100 (127 cm), JM92 (117 cm) and JM82 (104 cm) situations reciprocally. All matches are conducted using a singles competition system with 11 points which is two sets per match situation. Data collection was done through video recordings and questionnaires. Shot performance was analysed from the aspects of serve success, shot chances and rally length. Participants' satisfaction with the four paired match situations was obtained through a questionnaire. Study data were analysed using SPSS version 16.0 program. The results of one-way ANOVA test for repeated measurements showed that there was significant mean score differences (p <.05) for performance and satisfaction between the JP, JM100, JM92 and JM82 situations. The findings of the study showed that scaling the net height of 92% of the average height of children aged seven to nine years was the optimal net height. Therefore, this study suggests that the use of standard net heights among children should be reviewed.

Aggression is one of the significant types of feeling and emotion, which is exceptionally fundamental for sports execution. It is ordinarily propelled conduct at any rate for that specific purpose of time in the genuine play, which drives a player brimming with his energies towards his point. 150 School National Handball female players aged 14-17 years who were concentrated in higher optional schools of Andhra Pradesh Rural and Urban were haphazardly chosen as subjects. An aggression scale is used to contemplate the degree of aggression in any age gathering (over 14 years). The scale comprises 55 articulations. It is a Likert type 5-guide scale toward locating the aggressive conduct among Handball players. The premise of the discoveries is that the shooters have phenomenal aggression conduct than the all-rounders and defenders and shooters have more physical fitness than the all-rounders and defenders. In the examination, the Shooter would have a more aggressive inclination and physical fitness when contrasted with all-rounders and defenders. It is very different on the grounds that the Shooter alone for example independently will confront the adversary gathering of players because of body contact and the battle for greatness will lead the shooter to more aggressive than others.

Angular coupling patterns in the spine are often described by quantifying flexion/extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation angles as functions of one another. The most common methods for calculating these angles from marker coordinate data are the Euler method and the projection method. Both methods have the problem that they may be applied to spinal motion in a variety of ways, depending on the sequence chosen for Euler rotations or the vectors chosen for projection. The spinal angles calculated by each permutation of both methods vary significantly, leading to difficulties in reporting and comparing results between studies. The ambiguities of the Euler and projection techniques may be resolved and the two techniques standardized for application to the spine by considering vertebral symmetry. Using symmetry considerations, unique vectors may be chosen for determining the planar projection angles that best describe coupling in the spine. Because of the close relationship, presented herein, between projection angles and Euler angles, the same considerations allow one Euler rotation sequence to be chosen over the five alternate sequences. To validate the need for standardization of these techniques and to demonstrate the utility of the method presented, the results from a published study describing angular coupling patterns in the upper cervical spine are reexpressed in terms of the newly chosen Euler sequence and projection angle set. The reevaluated angles are consistent in both methods and lead to a

- by Curtis Dickman
- •
- Engineering, Data Analysis, Human Movement Science, Close relationships

While recent studies indicate that observers are able to use dynamic information to anticipate whole-body actions like tennis shots, it is less clear whether the action's amplitude may also allow for anticipation. We therefore examined the role of movement dynamics and amplitude for the anticipation of tennis-shot direction. In a previous study, movement dynamics and amplitude were separated from the kinematics of tennis players' forehand groundstrokes. In the present study, these were manipulated and tennis shots were simulated. Three conditions were created in which shot-direction differences were either preserved or removed: Dynamics-Present-Amplitude-Present (D P A P ), Dynamics-Present-Amplitude-Absent (D P A A ), and Dynamics-Absent-Amplitude-Present (D A A P ). Nineteen low-skill and 15 intermediate-skill tennis players watched the simulated shots and predicted shot direction from movements prior to ball-racket contact only. Percent of correctly predicted shots per condition was measured. On average, both groups' performance was superior when the dynamics were present (the D P A P and D P A A conditions) compared to when it was absent (the D A A P condition). However, the intermediate-skill players performed above chance independent of amplitude differences in shots (i.e., both the D P A P and D P A A conditions), whereas the lowskill group only performed above chance when amplitude differences were absent (the D P A A condition). These results suggest that the movement's dynamics but not their amplitude provides information from which tennis-shot direction can be anticipated. Furthermore, the successful extraction of dynamical information 0167-9457/$ -see front matter Ó

- by raoul huys
- •
- Engineering, Prediction, Tennis, Motion perception

jou rn al homepage: www.elsevier.com /locate/humo v differences in variability of the defence systems and start-positions are more variable than the end-positions. Multilayer perceptrons are able to recognize the teams at an average of... more

- by Wolfgang I Schöllhorn
- •
- Engineering, Algorithms, Computer Graphics, Individuality

Research has identified a relationship between social-emotional problems and motor impairment in both pre-school and schoolage children. The aim of the current study was to determine how motor performance in infancy and early childhood is related to levels of anxious and depressive symptomatology at age 6-12 years. Fifty participants were assessed by their parents 11 times between the ages of 4 months and 4 years using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ), and once between the age of 6 and 12 years using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). The ASQ scores were used to obtain the stability (variance) of fine and gross motor performance. Once gestational age, sex and age of testing were taken into account, the stability of gross motor scores predicted both the anxiety/depression measure and the anxious score from the CBCL. It appears that how variable a young child's gross motor development is from 4 months to 4 years predicts the level of anxious/ depressive symptoms at school age. These findings may assist in the early identification of children at risk of anxiety disorders and depression at school age.

- by Natalie Gasson
- •
- Engineering, Motor Development, Aging, Adolescent

Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder demonstrate a lack of automaticity in handwriting as measured by pauses during writing. Deficits in visual perception have been proposed in the literature as underlying mechanisms of handwriting difficulties in children with DCD. The aim of this study was to examine whether correlations exist between measures of visual perception and visual motor integration with measures of the handwriting product and process in children with DCD. The performance of twenty-eight 8-14year-old children who met the DSM-5 criteria for DCD was compared with 28 typically developing (TD) age and gender-matched controls. The children completed the Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration (VMI) and the Test of Visual Perceptual Skills (TVPS). Group comparisons were made, correlations were conducted between the visual perceptual measures and handwriting measures and the sensitivity and specificity examined. The DCD group performed below the TD group on ...

- by Mandy Plumb
- •
- Engineering, Visual perception, Adolescent, Human Movement Science

This study aimed to investigate the kicking limb coordinative patterns adopted by karate practitioners (karateka) when impacting (IRK), or not impacting (NIRK) a target during a roundhouse kick. Six karateka performed three repetitions of both kicks while kicking limb kinematics were recorded using a stereophotogrammetric system. Intra-limb coordination was quantified for hip and knee flexion-extension from toe-off to kick completion, using the Continuous relative phase (CRP). Across the same time interval, thigh and shank angular momentum about the vertical axis of the body was calculated. For all trials, across all participants, CRP curve peaks and maximum and minimum angular momentum were determined. A RM-ANOVA was performed to test for differences between kicking conditions. The CRP analysis highlighted, during the central portion of both kicks, a delayed flexion of the hip with respect to the knee. Conversely, during the terminal portion of the CRP curves, the NIRK is performed with a more in-phase action, caused by a higher hip angular displacement. The NIRK is characterized by a lower angular momentum which may enhance control of the striking limb. It would seem that the issue of no impact appears to be solved 0167-9457/$ -see front matter Ó

- by Paola Sbriccoli
- •
- Engineering, Photogrammetry, Martial Arts, Human Movement Science

PsycINFO classification: 2300 2323 2330

- by William Lewinski
- •
- Engineering, Decision Making, Attention, Police

- by Meg Morris
- •
- Engineering, Motor Control, Physical Therapy, Human Movement Science

By altering the task constraints of cooperative and competitive game contexts in badminton, insights can be obtained from a dynamical systems perspective to investigate the underlying processes that results in either a gradual shift or transition of playing patterns. Positional data of three pairs of skilled female badminton players (average age 20.5 ± 1.38 years) were captured and analyzed. Local correlation coefficient, which provides information on the relationship of players' displacement data, between each pair of players was computed for angle and distance from base position. Speed scalar product was in turn established from speed vectors of the players. The results revealed two patterns of playing behaviors (i.e., in-phase and anti-phase patterns) for movement displacement. Anti-phase relation was the dominant coupling pattern for speed scalar relationships among the pairs of players. Speed scalar product, as a collective variable, was different between cooperative and competitive plays with a greater variability in amplitude seen in competitive plays leading to a winning point. The findings from this study provide evidence for increasing stroke variability to perturb existing stable patterns of play and highlights the potential for speed scalar product to be a collective variable to distinguish different patterns of play (e.g., cooperative and competitive).

- by Romain Hérault and +1
- •
- Engineering, Human Movement Science, Orientation, Distance Perception

The purpose of this study was to identify the movement characteristics associated with positive and negative emotions experienced during walking. Joy, contentment, anger, sadness, and neutral were elicited in 16 individuals, and motion capture data were collected as they walked while experiencing the emotions. Observers decoded the target emotions from side and front view videos of the walking trials; other observers viewed the same videos to rate the qualitative movement features using an Effort-Shape analysis. Kinematic analysis was used to quantify body posture and limb movements during walking with the different emotions. View did not affect decoding accuracy except for contentment, which was slightly enhanced with the front view. Walking speed was fastest for joy and anger, and slowest for sadness. Although walking speed may have accounted for increased amplitude of hip, shoulder, elbow, pelvis and trunk motion for anger and joy compared to sadness, neck and thoracic flexion with sadness, and trunk extension and shoulder depression with joy were independent of gait speed. More differences among emotions occurred with the Effort-Shape rather than the kinematic analysis, suggesting that observer judgments of Effort-Shape characteristics were more sensitive than the kinematic outcomes to differences among emotions.

- by Melissa Gross
- •
- Engineering, Nonverbal Communication, Face recognition (Psychology), Adolescent

The design of effective archery skills of archers for the excellence of international games was analyzed. The time taken for each shot between an arrow scored 10 points, and compared an arrow scored under 10 points with a sample size of 31 archers with international competitions’ experiences for 6 times on Actual Form (scoring of 79% before their participation) and Preferred Form (scoring of 86% after they trained and practiced) Skills for the Archer Performance Skill (APA) Form, differently. The adaptation of the Archery Skill Analysis Assessment Form (ASAAF) was assessed. Assessing associations between the archery skill and the abilities of archers in their actual and preferred forms, their efficient archery posture training with archery performances for the excellence achievements is related to two variables, relatively. The efficient predictive R2 values indicate that 51% and 69% of the variances in archery abilities are related to their archery performance skills’ achievements. Analysis of archery skills comprises 10 skills, such as, stability, hooking, drawing, anchoring, loading/transfer to hold, physical strength and stability, developing intense focus and concentration, aiming, releasing, and following through skills that are trained and practiced by professional archery expert. The study is very important, which is one of only a handful of studies in archery sport in Thailand, and represents one of the only studies worldwide that has focused on archery sport to improve the analysis of efficient archery posture training for excellence achievements. It may solve problems that have been accumulated for a long time.

A model was developed for cross-country skiing where locomotive power depends on speed and slope as variables, and further depends on snow friction, gravitation, mass, air drag, wind, and air density. Model parameters were estimated experimentally. Two differential equations were developed for how locomotive power depends on speed and slope. The equations are of the logistic form with a threshold determined by the skier's technique, intensity, mass, metabolic rate, gross efficiency, and lactate threshold. Three parameters were estimated by minimizing the average summed square difference between the simulated speed, using the model, and experimental speed of an elite male skier in a 4218 m track. Distance and height along the track were measured using a measuring wheel and an inclinometer generating 52 datapoints. Research assistants measured time from start at 14 different positions. Parameter values were determined from the literature. We illustrated how speed and slope impact ...

- by Kjell Hausken
- •
- Engineering, Algorithms, Gravitation, Human Movement Science
- by Jos Vanrenterghem
- •
- Engineering, Biomechanics, Kinetics, Human Movement Science
- by Karl Newell
- •
- Engineering, Human Movement Science
- by Sylvia Õunpuu
- •
- Engineering, Human Movement Science, Gait Analysis, Data Collection

Sports ballroom dancing is a type of sports activity that makes serious demands on the development of new motor actions, the manifestation of reaction speed, the ability to concentrate and switch attention, and many more parameters. Success in sports dance competitions depends not only on natural skills but also to a greater extent on a sportsman's practical training. The analysis of the biomechanics of sports dance and the characteristics of the sportsman's dynamic data suggest assessing the feasibility, efficiency, improvement of the technique of the performed motor action, which determines the goals of the development of the motor abilities of young sportsmen at an early stage. Based on knowledge of biomechanics, it is easier for a teacher to teach his pupils. But for this, it is necessary to be able to analyze motor activity and indicate the direction of active search, form a motor task and, based on the foundations of biomechanics, the necessary fundamentals of technology. Information about the biomechanical structure of the movement is used both in the formation of the technique of motor actions of beginner dancers and in its improvement in qualified dancers. This is what determines the relevance of the study; therefore, the purpose of the article is to identify the features of movements in sports dances using their biomechanical analysis. The authors carried out a theoretical and methodological analysis of special literature on biomechanical analysis of sports dance, which allowed them to analyze the movements of two dances. The analysis made it possible to reveal the peculiarities of the performance of these dances, which means that making adjustments to special preparatory exercises with a similar amplitude of the knee joints will lead to better training of sportsmen. Also, this analysis effectively improves the skill level of performing dance steps by experienced dancers because it clearly shows all the features of the movement at a particular moment.

In team-handball, skilled athletes are able to adapt to different game situations that may lead to differences in movement variability. Whether movement variability affects the performance of a team-handball throw and is affected by different skill levels or throwing techniques has not yet been demonstrated. Consequently, the aims of the study were to determine differences in performance and movement variability for several throwing techniques in different phases of the throwing movement, and of different skill levels. Twenty-four team-handball players of different skill levels (n = 8) performed 30 throws using various throwing techniques. Upper body kinematics was measured via an 8 camera Vicon motion capture system and movement variability was calculated. Results indicated an increase in movement variability in the distal joint movements during the acceleration phase. In addition, there was a decrease in movement variability in highly skilled and skilled players in the standing throw with run-up, which indicated an increase in the ball release speed, which was highest when using this throwing technique. We assert that team-handball players had the ability to compensate an increase in movement variability in the acceleration phase to throw accurately, and skilled players were able to control the movement, although movement variability decreased in the standing throw with run-up.

- by Serge von Duvillard
- •
- Engineering, Biomechanics, Adolescent, Evidence-Based Practice (Psychology)

The Fouetté turn in classical ballet is performed repeatedly on one leg with swinging of the free limbs, producing a continued sequence of turns with one turn leading into the next. The purpose of this study was to determine the possible time history profiles of the twisting torque between the supporting leg and the remainder of the body that will allow continued performances of the Fouetté turn. Simulations were performed using a model which comprised the supporting leg and the remainder of the body to find torque profiles that maintain the initial angular velocity so that the state after one revolution is the same as the initial state. The solution space of torque profiles was determined for various rotation times and coefficients of friction between foot and floor. As the time for one revolution became shorter the solution space became smaller and for a given turn time there was a lower limit on the coefficient of friction. As the frictional coefficient became smaller the solution space became smaller and for a given coefficient there was a lower limit on the turn time. Turns of a given tempo can be performed on floors with different friction by modifying the twisting torque profile. When a turn is completed with a net change in angular velocity this can be compensated for in the next turn by adjusting the twisting torque profile.

- by Maurice Yeadon
- •
- Engineering, Dancing, Human Movement Science, Learning

The segmental and muscular complexity of the human body can result in challenges when examining the kinetics of impacts. To better understand this complexity, combat sports literature has selected effective mass as a measure of an athlete's inertial contribution to the momentum transfer during the impact of strikes. This measure helps to clarify the analysis of striking kinetics in combat sports. This paper will review: (1) effective mass as a concept and its usage as a measure of impact intensity in combat sports, (2) the neuromuscular pattern known as ''double peak muscle activation'' which has been theorized to help enhance initial hand velocity upon impact and joint stiffening during impact, (3) the methods and equations used to calculate effective mass, and (4) practitioner recommendations based on the literature. We will argue in this manuscript that the act of punching presents unique challenges to the current understanding of effective mass due to additional force application during impact. This review will improve the understanding of effective mass and its roles in effective striking serving to underpin future research into performance enhancement in striking based combat sports.

- by Roy Nates
- •
- Engineering, Martial Arts, Boxing, Human Movement Science

The purpose of this study was to analyze the kinematic parameters of the body for the preparation phase of the free throw to improve the efficiency and sport performances. The study includes a total twenty elite basketball players from the Kosovo Super League teams: K.B. Prishtina, K.B. Kerasani and K.B. Lipljan. Basketball shooting measurements were conducted during the training of the 2018 year. Filming of the basketball shooting techniques is done with three Canon HD cameras, set at 90-degree angles, which can reproduce sixty pictures per second. 12 variables of kinematic parameters of body were selected for analysis. Only one successful shot from each player was taken for analysis. Analysis is done with Kinematic Analysis System (APAS), outputting the required results and values of the kinematic indicators. The data collected were processed by statistical analysis software "IBM SPSS 20", and statistical parameters were determined using the methods: arithmetic mean, standard deviation, minimum score, maximum score, Skewness and Kurtosis. The confirmation of the mutual influence of the variables was done by the Pearson's coefficients correlation method. The findings of this study show that in the preparation phase for a free throw shot in basketball, variables such as knee angle, wrist angle, thigh angle, and elbow angle have shown to be the kinematic parameters that have the greatest impact on finalizing a successful free throw in basketball. The scientific contribution of this research also provides new insights into the optimal model of basketball player performance during free-throw.

- by Shirley S.M. Fong
- •
- Engineering, Visual perception, Human Movement Science, Child

The present study investigated BernsteinÕs [The co-ordination and regulation of movements, 1967] proposal regarding the three stages of learning in the changing coordination and control of redundant joint-space degrees of freedom. Six participants practiced maintaining balance on a moving platform that was sinusoidally translated in the anterior-posterior direction for 30 trials on day 1 and 10 trials on day 2. At the beginning of practice, the motion of the torso and limb segments was less coherent in the attempt to compensate for the movement of the support surface in retaining a balanced posture. However, with practice, the organization of a compensatory postural coordination mode became highly coherent and also progressively utilized the passive, inertial forces generated by the movement of the support surface. The findings support the propositions that: (a) the pathway of change over time in the coordination pattern of the torso and joint motions depends on the task goal and constraints to action and (b) the changes in limb and torso motion are in support of the learning of a global body center of mass/platform dynamic.

- by Karl Newell
- •
- Engineering, Motion perception, Human Movement Science, Learning
- by Sara King-dowling
- •
- Engineering, Behavior, Language, Language disorders

This experiment investigated the relationship between motivation, engagement, and learning in a video game task. Previous studies have shown increased autonomy during practice leads to superior retention of motor skills, but it is not clear why this benefit occurs. Some studies suggest this benefit arises from increased motivation during practice; others suggest the benefit arises from better information processing. Sixty novice participants were randomly assigned to a self-controlled group, who chose the progression of difficulty during practice, or to a yoked group, who experienced the same difficulty progression but did not have choice. At the end of practice, participants completed surveys measuring intrinsic motivation and engagement. One week later, participants returned for a series of retention tests at three different difficulty levels. RM-ANCOVA (controlling for pre-test) showed that the self-controlled group had improved retention compared to the yoked group, on average, ...

- by ALESSANDRO TEODORO BRUZI
- •
- Engineering, Psychology, Individuality, Video Games

The aim of this study was to analyze the stability of the aiming process of elite biathlon athletes. Nine elite athletes performed four series of five shots onto the same target and onto targets next to each other in a shooting hall. A video-based system reconstructed the horizontal and vertical motion of the muzzle. The time period starting after repeating the rifle and ending with the shot was divided in 10 intervals of equal duration. Eight kinematic parameters describing the motion in these intervals were calculated. Based on the parameter values obtained a special variant of an artificial network of type SOM (self-organizing map) was trained. Similar neurons were combined to clusters. For each shot the 10 data sets describing the aiming process were then mapped to the corresponding neurons. The sequence of the related clusters in the respective succession was used as representation of the complex aiming motion. In a second processing step types of shots were identified applying a second net. A more stable pattern could be inferred for the members of the national squad compared to the biathletes classified in the next best performance level. Only small differences between the two shooting conditions could be observed.

- by Arnold Baca
- •
- Engineering, Computer Graphics, Motor Control, Human Movement Science

The aim of the study was to determine the effects of variations in eccentric loading and knee joint range of motion on performance enhancement associated with the stretch-shortening cycle in vertical jumping. Seventeen male elite volleyball players performed three variations of the vertical jump which served as the research model: the squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ) and drop jump from a height of 30 cm (DJ30). Knee joint angle (70°and 90°of flexion) at the commencement of the propulsive phase for each jump type was experimentally controlled, with the trunk kept as erect as possible. Force and motion data were recorded for each performance and used to compute a range of kinematic and kinetic variables, including hip, knee and ankle angles, angular velocities, work done, net joint moments and a number of temporal variables. The average of 12 trials for each participant was used in a series of repeated measures ANOVA's (jump · knee, a = .05). From both knee joint angles, an increase in eccentric loading resulted in a significant increase in jump height (DJ30 > CMJ > SJ; p < .05). These enhancements were significantly greater (p < .05) for 70°in comparison to 90°of knee flexion. From 70°of knee flexion, these enhancements were due to significant increases in work done at all three joints; while from 90°of knee flexion, only the hip and ankle joints appeared to contribute (p < .05). The amount of enhancement associated with employing the SSC in jumping is dependent upon the interaction of the magnitude of eccentric loading and the range of motion used.

- by Eric Wallace and +1
- •
- Engineering, Kinetics, Volleyball, Human Movement Science