Effects of Feedback-Supported Online Training during the Coronavirus Lockdown on Posture in Children and Adolescents

(1) Background. The coronavirus pandemic had a serious impact on the everyday life of children and young people with sometimes drastic effects on daily physical activity time that could have led to posture imbalances. The aim of the study was to examine whether a six-week, feedbacksupported online training programme could improve posture parameters in young soccer players. (2) Methods. Data of 170 adolescent soccer players (age 15.6 ± 1.6 years) were analyzed. A total of 86 soccer players of a youth academy participated in an online training program that included eight exercises twice per week for 45 min (Zoom group). The participants’ exercise execution could be monitored and corrected via smartphone or laptop camera. Before and after the training intervention, participants’ posture was assessed using photographic analysis. The changes of relevant posture parameters (perpendicular positions of ear, shoulder and hips, pelvic tilt, trunk tilt and sacral angle) were statistically tested by robust mixed ANOVA using trimmed means. Postural parameters were also assessed post hoc at 8-week intervals in a control group of 84 participants of the same age. (3) Results. We found a statistically significant interaction (p < 0.05) between time and group for trunk tilt, head and shoulder protrusion and for hip anteversion in the Zoom group. No changes were found for these parameters in the control group. For pelvic tilt no significant changes were found. (4) Conclusions. Feedback-based online training with two 45 min sessions per week can improve postural parameters in adolescent soccer players over a period of six weeks

Visualization of interindividual differences in spinal dynamics in the presence of intraindividual variabilities

Surface topography systems enable the capture of spinal dynamic movement. A visualization of possible unique movement patterns appears to be difficult due to large intraclass and small inter-class variabilities. Therefore, we investigated a visualization approach using Siamese neural networks (SNN) and checked, if the identification of individuals is possible based on dynamic spinal data. The presented visualization approach seems promising in visualizing subjects in the presence of intraindividual variability between different gait cycles as well as day-to-day variability. Overall, the results indicate a possible existence of a personal spinal ‘fingerprint’. The work forms the basis for an objective comparison of subjects and the transfer of the method to clinical use cases

Effects of Unilateral Muscle Fatigue on Thermographic Skin Surface Temperature of Back and Abdominal Muscles&mdash;A Pilot Study

The present study aimed to assess the effects of asymmetric muscle fatigue on the skin surface temperature of abdominal and back muscles. The study was based on a pre-post/follow-up design with one group and included a total of 41 subjects (22 male, 19 female; age, 22.63 &plusmn; 3.91; weight, 71.89 &plusmn; 12.97 kg; height, 173.36 &plusmn; 9.95). All the participants were asked to perform side bends in sets of 20 repetitions on a Roman chair until complete exhaustion. The pre-, post- and follow-up test (24 h after) skin surface temperatures were recorded with infrared thermography. Subjective muscle soreness and muscle fatigue were analyzed using two questionnaires. The results of the post hoc tests showed that skin temperature was statistically significantly lower in the post-tests than in the pre- and follow-up tests, but no meaningful differences existed between the pre- and follow-up tests. Asymmetric side differences were found in the post-test for the upper and lower areas of the back. Differences were also noted for the front in both the upper and lower areas. No thermographic side asymmetries were found at the pre- or follow-up measurement for either the back or the front. Our results support the potential of using thermographic skin surface temperature to monitor exercise and recovery in athletes, as well as its use in rehabilitational exercise selection

Auf dem Weg zu interpretierbaren, KI-basierten, explorativen und entscheidungsunterstützenden Systemen im Kontext biomechanischer Daten

Die Synopsis setzt sich auseinander mit dem Einsatz von Künstlicher Intelligenz (Maschinelles Lernen) im Kontext biomechanischer Daten. Potentiale der Methoden werden herausgearbeitet und ausgewählte praxisrelevante Limitationen anhand von fünf Publikationen adressiert. Unter anderem können durch Verwendung von Ensemble Feature Selection, Explainable Artificial Intelligence und Metric Learning sowie die Entwicklung eines pathologieunabhängigen Klassifikators vielversprechende Perspektiven aufgezeigt werden

Auf dem Weg zu interpretierbaren, KI-basierten, explorativen und entscheidungsunterstützenden Systemen im Kontext biomechanischer Daten

Die Synopsis setzt sich auseinander mit dem Einsatz von Künstlicher Intelligenz (Maschinelles Lernen) im Kontext biomechanischer Daten. Potentiale der Methoden werden herausgearbeitet und ausgewählte praxisrelevante Limitationen anhand von fünf Publikationen adressiert. Unter anderem können durch Verwendung von Ensemble Feature Selection, Explainable Artificial Intelligence und Metric Learning sowie die Entwicklung eines pathologieunabhängigen Klassifikators vielversprechende Perspektiven aufgezeigt werden

Effects of Unilateral Muscle Fatigue on Thermographic Skin Surface Temperature of Back and Abdominal Muscles—A Pilot Study

The present study aimed to assess the effects of asymmetric muscle fatigue on the skin surface temperature of abdominal and back muscles. The study was based on a pre-post/follow-up design with one group and included a total of 41 subjects (22 male, 19 female; age, 22.63 ± 3.91; weight, 71.89 ± 12.97 kg; height, 173.36 ± 9.95). All the participants were asked to perform side bends in sets of 20 repetitions on a Roman chair until complete exhaustion. The pre-, post- and follow-up test (24 h after) skin surface temperatures were recorded with infrared thermography. Subjective muscle soreness and muscle fatigue were analyzed using two questionnaires. The results of the post hoc tests showed that skin temperature was statistically significantly lower in the post-tests than in the pre- and follow-up tests, but no meaningful differences existed between the pre- and follow-up tests. Asymmetric side differences were found in the post-test for the upper and lower areas of the back. Differences were also noted for the front in both the upper and lower areas. No thermographic side asymmetries were found at the pre- or follow-up measurement for either the back or the front. Our results support the potential of using thermographic skin surface temperature to monitor exercise and recovery in athletes, as well as its use in rehabilitational exercise selection

Non-invasive technologies for detecting asymmetric muscle fatigue

Early detection of unilateral muscle fatigue and muscular imbalances is important to prevent injury. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of near-infrared thermography (IRT) and raster-stereography (RS) in detecting asymmetries. After unilateral trunk muscle fatigue, IRT detected changes in the skin surface temperature only immediately after exercise, while RS data showed no statistically significant changes.Die frühzeitige Erkennung von einseitiger Muskelermüdung und muskulären Ungleichgewichten ist wichtig, um Verletzungen vorzubeugen. Ziel dieser Studie war es, das Potenzial der Nahinfrarot-Thermografie (IRT) und der Rasterstereografie (RS) bei der Erkennung von Asymmetrien zu bewerten. Nach einseitiger Ermüdung der Rumpfmuskulatur wurden mit der IRT Veränderungen der Hautoberflächentemperatur nur unmittelbar nach der Belastung festgestellt, während die RS-Daten keine statistisch signifikanten Veränderungen zeigten

Practical studies on bike fitting - A biomechanical and physiological analysis under the influence of fatigue

Bike fitting can have a major impact on the performance of cyclists and can reduce the risk of non-traumatic injuries. This study shows significant changes in lower body biomechanics of road cyclists during and after fatigue and therefore expands the research from a more practical view. These findings support the expansion of future research using sensor-based analyses of road cycling (e.g., IMUs, oxygen saturation).Die Einstellung des Fahrrads kann einen großen Einfluss auf die Leistung von Radfahrern haben und das Risiko nichttraumatischer Verletzungen verringern. Diese Studie zeigt signifikante Veränderungen in der Biomechanik des Unterkörpers von Rennradfahrern während und nach der Ermüdung und erweitert damit die Forschung aus einer eher praktischen Sicht. Diese Ergebnisse unterstützen die Ausweitung zukünftiger Forschung unter Verwendung sensorbasierter Analysen des Straßenradsports (z. B. IMUs, Sauerstoffsättigung)

Non-invasive technologies for detecting asymmetric muscle fatigue

Early detection of unilateral muscle fatigue and muscular imbalances is important to prevent injury. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of near-infrared thermography (IRT) and raster-stereography (RS) in detecting asymmetries. After unilateral trunk muscle fatigue, IRT detected changes in the skin surface temperature only immediately after exercise, while RS data showed no statistically significant changes.Die frühzeitige Erkennung von einseitiger Muskelermüdung und muskulären Ungleichgewichten ist wichtig, um Verletzungen vorzubeugen. Ziel dieser Studie war es, das Potenzial der Nahinfrarot-Thermografie (IRT) und der Rasterstereografie (RS) bei der Erkennung von Asymmetrien zu bewerten. Nach einseitiger Ermüdung der Rumpfmuskulatur wurden mit der IRT Veränderungen der Hautoberflächentemperatur nur unmittelbar nach der Belastung festgestellt, während die RS-Daten keine statistisch signifikanten Veränderungen zeigten

Effects of Unilateral Muscle Fatigue on Thermographic Skin Surface Temperature of Back and Abdominal Muscles—A Pilot Study

The present study aimed to assess the effects of asymmetric muscle fatigue on the skin surface temperature of abdominal and back muscles. The study was based on a pre-post/follow-up design with one group and included a total of 41 subjects (22 male, 19 female; age, 22.63 ± 3.91; weight, 71.89 ± 12.97 kg; height, 173.36 ± 9.95). All the participants were asked to perform side bends in sets of 20 repetitions on a Roman chair until complete exhaustion. The pre-, post- and follow-up test (24 h after) skin surface temperatures were recorded with infrared thermography. Subjective muscle soreness and muscle fatigue were analyzed using two questionnaires. The results of the post hoc tests showed that skin temperature was statistically significantly lower in the post-tests than in the pre- and follow-up tests, but no meaningful differences existed between the pre- and follow-up tests. Asymmetric side differences were found in the post-test for the upper and lower areas of the back. Differences were also noted for the front in both the upper and lower areas. No thermographic side asymmetries were found at the pre- or follow-up measurement for either the back or the front. Our results support the potential of using thermographic skin surface temperature to monitor exercise and recovery in athletes, as well as its use in rehabilitational exercise selection