THE IMPACT OF THERAPEUTIC ANKLE TAPING ON THE KINEMATICS OF THE LOWER EXTREMITY WHILE RUNNING

Overpronation is a misalignment of the calcaneus resulting from flattening of the medial longitudinal arch, which may lead to an overuse injury in runners. It is suggested that taping may control the position of the calcaneus to correct foot pathologies associated with overpronation. This pilot study explored the effect of ankle taping on the kinematics of the lower extremity while running. Fifteen healthy participants ran on a treadmill with a Kinesio Tape®, Leuko Tape®, and a no tape condition while being video recorded for 3D analysis. No significant changes in the selected lower extremity kinematic variables were seen among the tape and no tape conditions. Participants demonstrated an average Foot Posture Index score of 2.2±1.5, which is considered neutral. Ankle taping may be more beneficial in altering lower extremity kinematics in runners with higher values of pronation and at faster running speeds

Likelihood informed dimension reduction for inverse problems in remote sensing of atmospheric constituent profiles

We use likelihood informed dimension reduction (LIS) (T. Cui et al. 2014) for inverting vertical profile information of atmospheric methane from ground based Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) measurements at Sodankyl\"a, Northern Finland. The measurements belong to the word wide TCCON network for greenhouse gas measurements and, in addition to providing accurate greenhouse gas measurements, they are important for validating satellite observations. LIS allows construction of an efficient Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling algorithm that explores only a reduced dimensional space but still produces a good approximation of the original full dimensional Bayesian posterior distribution. This in effect makes the statistical estimation problem independent of the discretization of the inverse problem. In addition, we compare LIS to a dimension reduction method based on prior covariance matrix truncation used earlier (S. Tukiainen et al. 2016)

THE EFFECTS OF KNEE BRACING ON REACTIVE AGILITY PERFORMANCE AND EMG ACTIVITY IN HEALTHY SOCCER PLAYERS – A PILOT STUDY

This pilot study examined differences between braced and non-braced soccer players on measures of reactive agility time and electromyographic (EMG) activity of the gluteus medius (GM), biceps femoris (BF), and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles during the acceleration and change of direction phases of the Y-shaped reactive agility test. Twenty-four participants completed a Y-shaped reactive agility test under two conditions including wearing no knee brace and wearing a Playmaker II knee brace (DonJoy®, Lewisville, Texas) on their dominant leg. Although higher muscle activation was found in the GM and BF muscles during the change of direction phase compared to the acceleration phase, bracing did not statistically significantly affect agility time and EMG muscle activity. This outcome suggests that preventative bracing does not seem to hinder an athlete’s performance

The Effect of Ankle Taping on the Kinematics of the Lower Extremity While Running on Level, Inclined, and Declined Slopes

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology Volume 2: Issue 1, Article 8, 2021. Therapeutic taping is often prescribed as a treatment for various overuse injuries in the lower extremity. Researchers believe that taping may control the position and alter alignment of the calcaneus to correct foot pathologies when applied to the ankle in runners, however, the utility and specific mechanical effects of different taping techniques remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of ankle taping (no tape (NT), Kinesiotape® (KT), or Leukotape® (LT)) across different slope conditions (level, inclined, and declined) on the kinematics of the hip, knee, and ankle joints. Forty healthy participants (males=18, females=22) ran on a treadmill under different taping and slope conditions. Lower extremity kinematics at the hip, knee, and ankle were analyzed using a Contemplas Templo® 3D motion capture system. Data were analyzed using two-way repeated measures analyses of variance (ANOVAs; p\u3c0.05) for each kinematic variable, respectively. Data analysis revealed no significant interactions effects between taping conditions and slope on kinematics measured across joints. The results, however, revealed a significant main effect for type of tape for peak knee flexion angle during the stance phase of running with the application of LT, which produced less knee flexion when compared to KT. The results also revealed a significant main effect regarding slope conditions which identified an increase in stride length (SL) while running on a declined slope compared to an inclined slope. Finally, a significant main effect concerning slope conditions was found which identified a decrease in stride frequency (SF) while running on a declined slope compared to a level and inclined slope. The results of this study suggested that the application of LT affected knee flexion during the stance phase of running. This tape outcome may have implications for clinicians, coaches, and patients because they suggest that the application of LT may potentially reduce the risk of overuse injury due to repetitive flexion at the knee joint while running. Additionally, slope outcomes suggest that increased SL and decreased SF may reduce impact forces while running on a declined slope. Future research is required to further explore these preliminary results

THE IMPACT OF THERAPEUTIC ANKLE TAPING AND FOOT POSTURE ON THE KINEMATICS OF THE KNEE AND ANKLE WHILE RUNNING

Overpronation is a misalignment of the calcaneus, contributing to overuse injuries in runners. Taping may control the position of the calcaneus to correct foot pathologies associated with overpronation. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of therapeutic ankle taping and foot posture on the kinematics of the knee and ankle during running in participants with neutral and pronated foot types. Forty healthy participants ran on a treadmill with the application of Kinesio Tape®, Leuko Tape®, and no tape. A significant main effect for foot posture indicated that participants with a pronated foot type (p=.03) ran with a decreased amount of plantarflexion at the toe off phase of running when compared to a neutral foot type for all taping conditions. As plantarflexion occurs at toe off to propel the runner to the swing phase, a more rigid taping technique may be beneficial to provide support to the calcaneus

The water vapour distribution in the Arctic lowermost stratosphere during the LAUTLOS campaign and related transport processes including stratosphere-troposphere exchange

International audienceBalloon-borne water vapour measurements during January and February 2004, which were obtained as part of the LAUTLOS campaign at Sodankylä, Finland, 67° N, were used to analyse the water vapour distribution in the wintertime Arctic lowermost stratosphere. A 2.5 km thick layer (or 30 K in the potential temperature scale) above the tropopause is characterized by a significant water vapour variability on a synoptic timescale with values between stratospheric and tropospheric, which is in good agreement with previously reported measurements. A cross-correlation analysis of ozone and water vapour confirms that this layer contains a mixture of stratospheric and tropospheric air masses. Some of the flights sampled laminae of enhanced water vapour above the tropopause. Meteorological analyses and backward trajectory calculations show that these features were related to filaments that had developed along the flanks of cut-off anticyclones, which had been active at this time over the Northern Atlantic. The role of the filaments was however not to transport water vapour from the troposphere to the stratosphere but rather to transport it within the stratosphere away from regions where intensive two-way stratosphere-troposphere exchange (STE) was identified. Intensive STE occurred around cut-off anticyclones in regions of strong winds, where calculations suggest the presence of clear-air turbulence (CAT). Evidences that CAT contributes to the troposphere-to-stratosphere transport (TST) are presented. However, statistically, relation between TST and CAT during the studied period is weak

The water vapour distribution in the Arctic lowermost stratosphere during LAUTLOS campaign and related transport processes including stratosphere-troposphere exchange

International audienceBalloon-borne water vapour measurements during January and February 2004, which were obtained as part of the LAUTLOS campaign at Sodankylä, Finland, 67° N, were used to analyse the water vapour distribution in the wintertime Arctic lowermost stratosphere. A 2.5 km thick layer (or 30 K in the potential temperature scale) above the local tropopause is characterized by a significant water vapour variability on a synoptic timescale with values between stratospheric and tropospheric, which is in good agreement with previously reported measurements. A cross-correlation analysis of ozone and water vapour confirms that this layer contains a mixture of stratospheric and tropospheric air masses. Some of the flights sampled laminae of enhanced water vapour above the tropopause. Meteorological analyses and backward trajectory calculations show that these features are related to filaments that had developed along the flanks of cut-off anticyclones, which had been active at this time over the Northern Atlantic. Cross-tropopause mass fluxes calculated following the Wei method are used to identify regions and processes that are important for stratosphere-troposphere exchange (STE) in high-latitudes. Intensive STE occurs around cut-off anticyclones in regions of strong winds, where calculations suggest the presence of developed clear-air turbulence. The decay of the filaments is also shown to be important for STE

KINEMATIC ANALYSIS OF MEN BOBSLED PUSH STARTS

The purpose of this study was to provide a descriptive analysis of selected kinematic variables associated with the push start for brakemen in the two-man bobsled. Eleven male bobsledders served as subjects for this study. The subjects were videotaped at 120 Hz during competition at the Lake Placid, NY bobsled track as they were competing for positions on the men’s 2004 National Bobsled Team. Selected groups of variables measured at specific events in this study included step length, frequency, and foot contact time; COM velocity; and trunk, knee, and elbow angles. A relationship of 0.63 was determined between start time and finish time; an exploratory correlational analysis between start time and COM velocity at 2nd step take-off (TO) was -0.63. Start time is of critical importance in determining final race time

Derivation of tropospheric methane from TCCON CH₄ and HF total column observations

The Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON) is a global ground-based network of Fourier transform spectrometers that produce precise measurements of column-averaged dry-air mole fractions of atmospheric methane (CH₄). Temporal variability in the total column of CH₄ due to stratospheric dynamics obscures fluctuations and trends driven by tropospheric transport and local surface fluxes that are critical for understanding CH₄ sources and sinks. We reduce the contribution of stratospheric variability from the total column average by subtracting an estimate of the stratospheric CH₄ derived from simultaneous measurements of hydrogen fluoride (HF). HF provides a proxy for stratospheric CH₄ because it is strongly correlated to CH₄ in the stratosphere, has an accurately known tropospheric abundance (of zero), and is measured at most TCCON stations. The stratospheric partial column of CH₄ is calculated as a function of the zonal and annual trends in the relationship between CH₄ and HF in the stratosphere, which we determine from ACE-FTS satellite data. We also explicitly take into account the CH₄ column averaging kernel to estimate the contribution of stratospheric CH₄ to the total column. The resulting tropospheric CH₄ columns are consistent with in situ aircraft measurements and augment existing observations in the troposphere

Linking uncertainty in simulated Arctic ozone loss to uncertainties in modelled tropical stratospheric water vapour

Stratospheric water vapour influences the chemical ozone loss in the polar stratosphere via control of the polar stratospheric cloud formation. The amount of water vapour entering the stratosphere through the tropical tropopause differs substantially between simulations from chemistry–climate models (CCMs). This is because the present-day models, e.g. CCMs, have difficulties in capturing the whole complexity of processes that control the water transport across the tropopause. As a result there are large differences in the stratospheric water vapour between the models.In this study we investigate the sensitivity of simulated Arctic ozone loss to the simulated amount of water vapour that enters the stratosphere through the tropical tropopause. We used a chemical transport model, FinROSE-CTM, forced by ERA-Interim meteorology. The water vapour concentration in the tropical tropopause was varied between 0.5 and 1.6 times the concentration in ERA-Interim, which is similar to the range seen in chemistry–climate models. The water vapour changes in the tropical tropopause led to about 1.5&thinsp;ppmv less and 2&thinsp;ppmv more water vapour in the Arctic polar vortex compared to the ERA-Interim, respectively. The change induced in the water vapour concentration in the tropical tropopause region was seen as a nearly one-to-one change in the Arctic polar vortex.We found that the impact of water vapour changes on ozone loss in the Arctic polar vortex depends on the meteorological conditions. The strongest effect was in intermediately cold stratospheric winters, such as the winter of 2013/2014, when added water vapour resulted in 2&thinsp;%–7&thinsp;% more ozone loss due to the additional formation of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) and associated chlorine activation on their surface, leading to ozone loss. The effect was less pronounced in cold winters such as the 2010/2011 winter because cold conditions persisted long enough for a nearly complete chlorine activation, even in simulations with prescribed stratospheric water vapour amount corresponding to the observed values. In this case addition of water vapour to the stratosphere led to increased areas of ICE PSCs but it did not increase the chlorine activation and ozone destruction significantly. In the warm winter of 2012/2013 the impact of water vapour concentration on ozone loss was small because the ozone loss was mainly NOx-induced. The results show that the simulated water vapour concentration in the tropical tropopause has a significant impact on the Arctic ozone loss and therefore needs to be well simulated in order to improve future projections of the recovery of the ozone layer.</p