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Applied Sciences
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Digital Motion in Sports
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Digital Motion in Sports

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Physics General".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2020) | Viewed by 25284

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Thomas Stöggl

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Universitat Salzburg, Department of Sport Science and Kinesiology, Salzburg, Austria
Interests: sensor and wearable technologies in various settings of sports science (digital sports, digital motion); physiology and biomechanics in various sports settings from sedentary to the elite athlete; training intensity distribution and training effects of various endurance training programs among elite endurance athletes; exercise physiology; performance diagnostics and training therapy
Dr. Elisabeth Häusler

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Salzburg Research Forschungsgesellschaft, Austria
Interests: technology and innovation field of digital sports; sensor and wearable technologies; motion data intelligence
Prof. Dr. Kamiar Aminian

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
Interests: wearable technologies for movement analysis; smart sensors; inertial sensors pervasive measurement; biomechanics of movement in sport; algorithm for movement identification and classification; injury prevention in sport; training load estimation; biofeedback
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The rapid development of digitalization, including sensor technology, engineering, and miniaturization, as well as the growing importance of physical and psychological well-being besides the aspect of performance and injury prevention in sport, is having a tremendous impact on almost all consumer goods, ranging from consumer electronics to sports equipment. As a consequence, the rise of smaller, cheaper, and more precise sensors has led to new business opportunities as well as the digital transformation of foremost unintelligent sport-equipment towards what is often referred to as “smart wearables”. This arising new business and innovation field of "digital sports" has the potential to react to changing customer needs: Not only of professional athletes, but also of people in amateur sports or interested in an active lifestyle, in general. The development may provide many solutions to examine and monitor well-being and performance in sports, gathering data related to motion, musculoskeletal morphology, physiology, and psychology. Measurement systems, collected data, algorithms, and data analytics can thus help to extract relevant metrics supporting different digital sports scenarios such as providing the next level of coaching and individualized training programs. Furthermore, the trend of digital sports supports the analysis of product usage behavior and consequently the development of customized products in the sports industry.

However, existing sensors, wearables, and their related applications predominantly offer metrics about the quantity of motion (e.g., tracking information on how long, how often, and how fast a sport task is performed) while measurements of the quality of motion are still rare (from quantity to quality: how well, how effective, how to improve). This can be seen as one of the reasons why major brands’ products have, in some cases, failed on the market. In order to enhance the added value to consumers, these metrics about the quality of motion should target, e.g., the improvement of sport technique, reduction of the risk of injury, increase of the motivation towards and enjoyment of sports, improved self-awareness and well-being, customization and individualization of sports equipment or smart coaching. Another opportunity of modern sensor technology is to bring research from the standardized conditions in the laboratory back into the field. Miniaturized, wireless, and highly accurate sensors allow non-cumbersome measurements in the field under various conditions and sports activities.

This research topic of digital motion in sports emphasizes the link between well-being, performance, and technology, and addresses current challenges in the design of innovative measuring systems, such as wearable sensors. In addition, research in this field generates reference data sets, analyzes and interprets multi-sensor motion data, assesses examination protocols and monitors well-being and performance in daily activity for various sports and various target groups. These tasks require an interdisciplinary collaboration of many research fields such as sports, data, and computer science, but also in coordination with industries and, in particular, with the future users: All to foster the digital sports experience for the people, either recreational or elite athletes, and within the ecological valid environment.

Prof. Thomas Stöggl
Dr. Elisabeth Häusler
Prof. Dr. Kamiar Aminian
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • algorithms
  • biomechanics
  • customization
  • diagnostics
  • digital sports
  • fatigue
  • field measurements
  • injury prevention
  • motion tracking
  • physiology
  • psychology
  • psycho-physiology
  • performance enhancement
  • smart coaching
  • sensors
  • sport
  • training load
  • wearables

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

8 pages, 943 KiB  
Article
GNSS Applications to Assess Performance in Olympic Sailors: Laser Class
by Israel Caraballo, Julio Conde-Caveda, Luka Pezelj, Boris Milavić and José Castro-Piñero
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(1), 264; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11010264 - 29 Dec 2020
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2478
Abstract
Laser class is an Olympic sport in which technical and tactical variables are very important in the performance of the sailor. However, the variables that determine performance in a regatta have not been studied, and less so with Olympic sailors. Therefore, the main [...] Read more.
Laser class is an Olympic sport in which technical and tactical variables are very important in the performance of the sailor. However, the variables that determine performance in a regatta have not been studied, and less so with Olympic sailors. Therefore, the main objectives of this study are to analyze the technical and tactical variables that differentiate sailors based on their level of performance and sex and determine the most important courses in a regatta. The sample consists of 159 Olympic sailors (67 females) of the Laser class, who participated in a World Cup. Velocity made good (VMG), distance, and maneuvers were evaluated using Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) devices in the upwind, downwind, and broad reach courses. VMG in upwind and downwind is the technical variable that determines performance in the Laser class. The VMG is decisive in the performance of elite female sailors in the upwind, downwind, and broad reach courses, while in elite male sailors, performance is mainly influenced by speed in upwind and downwind and the distance covered in upwind. The maneuvers do not determine sailing performance in any of the courses of a regatta. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Motion in Sports)
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14 pages, 1174 KiB  
Article
Orientation of the Head and Trunk During Functional Upper Limb Movement
by Agnès Roby-Brami, Marie-Martine Lefèvre Colau, Ross Parry, Sessi Acapo, Francois Rannou and Alexandra Roren
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(6), 2115; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10062115 - 20 Mar 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3353
Abstract
Upper limb activities imply positioning of the head with respect to the visual target and may impact trunk posture. However, the postural constraints imposed on the neck remains unclear. We used kinematic analysis to compare head and trunk orientation during arm movements (pointing) [...] Read more.
Upper limb activities imply positioning of the head with respect to the visual target and may impact trunk posture. However, the postural constraints imposed on the neck remains unclear. We used kinematic analysis to compare head and trunk orientation during arm movements (pointing) with isolated movements of the head (heading). Ten right-handed healthy adults completed both experimental tasks. In the heading task, subjects directed their face toward eight visual targets placed over a wide frontal workspace. In the pointing task, subjects pointed to the same targets (each with their right arm). Movements were recorded using an electromagnetic spatial tracking system. Both orientation of the head and trunk in space (Euler angles) and orientation of the head relative to the trunk were extracted. The orientation of the head in space was closely related to target direction during both tasks. The trunk was relatively stable during heading but contributed to pointing, with leftward axial rotation. These findings illustrate that the neck compensates for trunk rotation during pointing, engaging in specific target-dependent 3D movement in order to preserve head orientation in space. Future studies may investigate neck kinematics of people experiencing neck pain in order to identify and correct inefficient movement patterns, particularly in athletes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Motion in Sports)
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11 pages, 1223 KiB  
Article
The Effects of a Marathon Effort on Psychomotor Performance and Catecholamine Concentration in Runners over 50 Years of Age
by Jan Chmura, Paweł Chmura, Marek Konefał, Amit Batra, Dariusz Mroczek, Michał Kosowski, Katarzyna Młynarska, Marcin Andrzejewski, Andrzej Rokita and Piotr Ponikowski
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(6), 2067; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10062067 - 19 Mar 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3513
Abstract
Long-distance running and, in particular, running marathons has become an increasingly popular activity among the elderly. The aim of the study was to examine the effects of a marathon effort on the psychomotor performance and catecholamine concentration in runners over 50 years of [...] Read more.
Long-distance running and, in particular, running marathons has become an increasingly popular activity among the elderly. The aim of the study was to examine the effects of a marathon effort on the psychomotor performance and catecholamine concentration in runners over 50 years of age. The participants were male runners (n = 28) who completed the 32nd Wrocław Marathon in Poland. The runners’ psychomotor performance was assessed on the basis of their choice reaction times (CRT), heart rate (HR) and running speed measurements. In addition, the adrenaline (A) and noradrenaline (NA) as well as lactate (LA) levels and anaerobic threshold (AT) were measured. The runners’ CRT after crossing the finish line was significantly longer by 50 ms (p < 0.05) in response to each emitted audiovisual stimulus, as compared with baseline. The mean running speed was reduced by 1 km/h between the first speed measurement (5th km of the run) and the last (42.195 km) (p < 0.05). The observed three-fold increase in adrenaline and noradrenaline levels indicates an intense activity of the sympathetic–adrenergic system. The cognitive function levels in the studied marathon runners returned to baseline after 30 min of recovery, and the function of the sympathetic–adrenergic system by seven days after completing the marathon race. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Motion in Sports)
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10 pages, 2557 KiB  
Article
Jumping Flying Distance and Jump Performance of Elite Male Volleyball Players at FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship
by Damian Pawlik, Adam Kawczyński, Jan Chmura, Krzysztof Maćkała, Marcin Kutrzyński and Dariusz Mroczek
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(6), 2045; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10062045 - 18 Mar 2020
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3728
Abstract
We investigated different specific jumping performances of high-level male volleyball players. The aim of this study was to assess covered jumping distance, jump height, and number of jumps performed at certain positions by volleyball players competing at the 2014 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World [...] Read more.
We investigated different specific jumping performances of high-level male volleyball players. The aim of this study was to assess covered jumping distance, jump height, and number of jumps performed at certain positions by volleyball players competing at the 2014 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship in Poland. A total of 140 male volleyball players from national teams participated in the study. The analysis was performed for jumping flying distance (JFD), jump serve height (SJH), attack jump height (AJH), block jump height (BJH), and quantity of jumps (JC). The analysis of JFD of attack jumps showed that the middles covered a shorter distance than the other players. When analyzing the block jump lengths, distance during jump performance covered by the receivers (R1) was shorter than that of the opposites. Analysis of SJH by volleyball players at various positions showed statistically significant differences (P < 0.05) among the middles (M1, M2), receivers (R1, R2), and opposites (O). Statistically significant differences (P < 0.05) in BJH were found between the middles and the rest of the players. The results of the experiment show a high degree of reliability for jump height during serve and attack, jumping flying distance covered during an attack, and number of block jumps. The strongest relationship was seen between jump components, which predominantly depend only on a volleyball player performing a specific action (e.g., jump serve or attack jump). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Motion in Sports)
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12 pages, 1632 KiB  
Article
Hammer Throw: A Pilot Study for a Novel Digital-Route for Diagnosing and Improving Its Throw Quality
by Bingjun Wan, Yuanyuan Gao, Ye Wang, Xiang Zhang, Hua Li and Gongbing Shan
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(6), 1922; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10061922 - 11 Mar 2020
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 5058
Abstract
The world record of the hammer throw has not been broken since 1986. This stagnation is multifactorial. One dominant factor could be the lack of evidence-based scientific/biofeedback training. This study aims to identify key parameters influencing throw quality and structure a new digital [...] Read more.
The world record of the hammer throw has not been broken since 1986. This stagnation is multifactorial. One dominant factor could be the lack of evidence-based scientific/biofeedback training. This study aims to identify key parameters influencing throw quality and structure a new digital method for biofeedback training. Wire-tension measurement and 3D motion capture technology (VICON 12-camera system) were applied in quantifying and comparing throws of a national-level and a college-level athlete. Our results reveal that multi-joint coordination influences heavily on wire-tension generation. Four phases, i.e., initiation, transition, turns, and throw, play various roles in evaluating the quality of a throw. Among them, the transition, the third turn, and the throw display explosive/rapid increases of tension. For improving the effectiveness of the skill, the whip-like control and proper SSC (stretch-shortening cycle) of muscle groups involved should be established through years of training. Furthermore, our study unveils that quick and complex full-body control could be quantified and characterized by four key parameters: wire-tension, hand- and hip-height, and trunk tilt. Hence, a wearable digital device with tension and three Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensors would have great potential in realizing real-time biomechanical feedback training in practice for evaluating and improving the efficiency of various training programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Motion in Sports)
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9 pages, 1278 KiB  
Article
Preventative Taping in Futsal: An Exploratory Analysis of Low-Dye Taping on Planter Force Distribution and Pain Sensitivity
by Sebastian Klich, Biye Wang, Aiguo Chen, Jun Yan and Adam Kawczyński
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(2), 540; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10020540 - 11 Jan 2020
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 6409
Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the changes in plantar foot force distribution (i.e., the percentage of force and force distribution under the rearfoot and forefoot) and plantar pressure pain sensitivity maps in professional futsal players after long-term low-dye taping [...] Read more.
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the changes in plantar foot force distribution (i.e., the percentage of force and force distribution under the rearfoot and forefoot) and plantar pressure pain sensitivity maps in professional futsal players after long-term low-dye taping (LDT). The subjects (n = 25) were male futsal players (age 23.03 ± 1.15 years). During the experiment, a nonelastic tape was applied on the plantar foot surface according to the standards of LDP. The experimental protocol consisted of a 3-day cycle during which the plantar foot force distribution (FFD) and plantar pressure pain threshold (PPT) were measured: (1) before the tape was applied, (2) 24 h after application, and (3) 72 h after application. The results revealed a significant decrease in the force distribution under the rearfoot (p ≤ 0.001) and forefoot (p ≤ 0.001) on the right and left sides. Moreover, the results showed an increase in the plantar pressure pain threshold in all regions of the foot (p ≤ 0.001). The results of this study suggest that plantar fascial taping can be an effective method for normalizing the force distribution on the foot and reducing the plantar pain threshold. The findings provide useful information regarding the prevention of and physical therapy of lower extremity injuries in soccer and futsal. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Motion in Sports)
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