MODELLING SCAPULAR BIOMECHANICS TO ENHANCE INTERPRETATION OF KINEMATICS AND PERFORMANCE DATA IN ROWING

Rowing involves repetitive, high intensity loading on the glenohumeral joint. Shoulder pain is associated with muscle weakness and imbalance, resulting in long-lasting overuse injuries. The goal of this study was to explore three-dimensional shoulder biomechanics during rowing to identify parameters that influence technique. Eleven athletes had their movement recorded by motion capture while using an instrumented ergometer. Kinetics and kinematics drove a computational model which output joint and muscle forces across the shoulder. Results suggest that subtle muscular changes identified by the model can be sensitively mapped to performance variables. When evaluated alongside ergometer-derived power metrics, biomechanics parameters can provide athletes and coaches a fuller picture of performance potential, injury risk, and training program efficacy

FATIGUE LEADS TO ALTERED SPINAL KINEMATICS DURING HIGH PERFORMANCE ERGOMETER ROWING

Low back injuries in rowing are attributed to intense, repetitive, loading through the spine. Good technique and postural control are essential to maximize performance and minimize injury risk. This motion capture study recorded 3D spinal kinematics of 14 athletes during rowing at varying speeds on an instrumented ergometer and correlated motion with power metrics and athlete demographics. Sagittal plane rotation decreases in the lumbar spine and increases in the thoracic spine as speed increases. Transverse and frontal planes have little influence on force output. Declining postural control can be seen within each trial and worsened with higher rate. Assessments of form differences across athletes using relative motion between spine segments at critical stroke points show greater lumbar flexion (compared to thoracic) at the catch and neutral alignment at max handle force

Sport Biomechanics Applications Using Inertial, Force, and EMG Sensors: A Literature Overview

In the last few decades, a number of technological developments have advanced the spread of wearable sensors for the assessment of human motion. These sensors have been also developed to assess athletes’ performance, providing useful guidelines for coaching, as well as for injury prevention. The data from these sensors provides key performance outcomes as well as more detailed kinematic, kinetic, and electromyographic data that provides insight into how the performance was obtained. From this perspective, inertial sensors, force sensors, and electromyography appear to be the most appropriate wearable sensors to use. Several studies were conducted to verify the feasibility of using wearable sensors for sport applications by using both commercially available and customized sensors. The present study seeks to provide an overview of sport biomechanics applications found from recent literature using wearable sensors, highlighting some information related to the used sensors and analysis methods. From the literature review results, it appears that inertial sensors are the most widespread sensors for assessing athletes’ performance; however, there still exist applications for force sensors and electromyography in this context. The main sport assessed in the studies was running, even though the range of sports examined was quite high. The provided overview can be useful for researchers, athletes, and coaches to understand the technologies currently available for sport performance assessment

An Arthroscopic Device to Assess Articular Cartilage Defects and Treatment with a Hydrogel

The hydraulic resistance R across osteochondral tissue, especially articular cartilage, decreases with degeneration and erosion. Clinically useful measures to quantify and diagnose the extent of cartilage degeneration and efficacy of repair strategies, especially with regard to pressure maintenance, are still developing. The hypothesis of this study was that hydraulic resistance provides a quantitative measure of osteochondral tissue that could be used to evaluate the state of cartilage damage and repair. The aims were to (1) develop a device to measure R in an arthroscopic setting, (2) determine whether the device could detect differences in R for cartilage, an osteochondral defect, and cartilage treated using a hydrogel ex vivo, and (3) determine how quickly such differences could be discerned. The apparent hydraulic resistance of defect samples was ~35% less than intact cartilage controls, while the resistance of hydrogel-filled groups was not statistically different than controls, suggesting some restoration of fluid pressurization in the defect region by the hydrogel. Differences in hydraulic resistance between control and defect groups were apparent after 4 s. The results indicate that the measurement of R is feasible for rapid and quantitative functional assessment of the extent of osteochondral defects and repair. The arthroscopic compatibility of the device demonstrates the potential for this measurement to be made in a clinical setting

Using biomechanics to define the role of the upper extremity in rowing performance

Performance and injury risk are strongly affected by an athlete’s ability to consistently execute effective rowing technique. Previous rowing biomechanics studies focused on kinematic descriptions of the lower extremity and lumbar spine. Detailed biomechanical analyses of the upper extremity during rowing are limited, despite repetitive, high intensity loading across the shoulder complex and the prevalence of long-lasting upper extremity overuse injuries. This thesis aims to examine upper body biomechanics in ergometer rowing (for performance enhancement and injury mitigation), by developing kinematic and kinetic descriptions of technique. Computational modelling examined internal biomechanics, external kinematics, and performance metrics, across athletes of various ages and skill levels. Optical motion capture and bespoke instrumentation were used in whole-body tracking during ergometer rowing. Kinetic and kinematic data drove a multibody inverse dynamics model. Joint and muscle force patterns were analyzed to quantify upper extremity influence and create a biofeedback structure for rowers and coaches. As stroke rate increases, significant changes to the shape and timing of seat force profiles, shoulder joint angle profiles, and lumbar and thoracic spinal flexion, arose. Muscle force patterns highlight the importance of rotator cuff support for load transfer across the glenohumeral joint, with subscapularis and infraspinatus stabilizing the upper extremity before the finish and catch, respectively. Sex and age-related comparisons indicated differential prioritization of scapula stabilizers and prime movers in muscle force distribution. Masters rowers recruit arm accessory muscles but decrease rotator cuff force. Muscle forces impact external movement, joint forces, contact patterns, and shoulder stability, which over many cycles, have implications on performance and injury risk. Musculoskeletal modelling enhances spatio-temporal analyses, offering population-wide insight into how muscle and joint forces relate to traditional power metrics. Parameters provided deeper context on technique optimization for individual’s performance by identifying important muscles and the timing of their loading.Open Acces