KNEE JOINT BIOMECHANICS UNDER SYSTEMATICALLY INCREASED LOADING CONDITIONS IN RUNNING

The purpose of this study was to identify the general and individual biomechanical response to increased vertical loading with a particular emphasis on the knee joint in running. Biomechanical analysis was performed in three different loading conditions (100%, 110%, 120% body weight) by means of a standard inverse dynamics procedure using a Vicon Nexus system and an instrumented treadmill. Increased vertical loading was accompanied by increased peak internal knee abduction moments and a small increase (0.6°) of knee adduction angles. Two adaptation mechanisms could be identified, differing with respect to the increase of peak vertical GRF and abduction moments. It might be that runners aim at maintaining their habitual joint motion path, choosing a strategy that corresponds to their capacities to resist additional external loads

A Novel Method for the Evaluation and Certification of false Start Apparatus in Sprint Running

AbstractThe purpose of the present study was to develop a methodology for performance assessment of false start detection devices. Therefore, a four step project was initiated to develop a testing protocol which can be used for the evaluation and certification of these devices. A database of push-off force characteristics of athletes from a wide range of performance levels was created by analyzing 438 starting performances of 101 athletes, including the currently two fastest men in the world. A custom-made 3D force start block was developed for this purpose to precisely analyze the forces applied to the front and the rear block of the starting device. From the database, four force patterns were identified using cluster analysis techniques. Subsequently, a pneumatically driven machine was developed, that is capable to reproduce these force patterns with a low measurement error and high repeatability. Initial testing of false start apparatus highlights the need for further improvements of the systems, but also the need for further methodological improvements, especially with respect to the criterion that is used to detect the reaction time from a given sensor waveform