Trunk motion influences mechanical power estimates during wheelchair propulsion

In wheelchair sports, there is an increasing need to monitor mechanical power in the field. When rolling resistance is known, inertial measurement units (IMUs) can be used to determine mechanical power. However, upper body (i.e., trunk) motion affects the mass distribution between the small front and large rear wheels, thus affecting rolling...

From theory to practice: Monitoring mechanical power output during wheelchair field and court sports using inertial measurement units

An important performance determinant in wheelchair sports is the power exchanged between the athlete-wheelchair combination and the environment, in short, mechanical power. Inertial measurement units (IMUs) might be used to estimate the exchanged mechanical power during wheelchair sports practice. However, to validly apply IMUs for mechanical...

The ulnar collateral ligament response to valgus stress, repetitive pitching, and elbow muscle contraction in asymptomatic baseball pitchers

Background: In baseball, repetitive pitching leads to medial elbow injuries, particularly to the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL). To prevent pitchers from UCL injuries, it is important to quantify the response to elbow stress. Repetitive elbow external valgus torque and muscular fatigue induced by repetitive pitching could affect markers of...

Validation of a 5-DoF intrumented speed skate: Towards a power meter for speed skating

Speed skates are the most important part of equipment of a speed skater, where weight, rocker and bend are just a few characteristics that are to a high degree individualized. This poses a challenge for any type of research in speed skating where forces have to be measured in a reliable manner. For this purpose, a 5 degrees of freedom (DoF)...

Analysis of in competition speed skating using IMU's

For feedback to be effective, we must first identify relevant performance indicators for speed skating. We instrumented the skating of 10 junior elite Dutch speed skaters with two inertial measurement units during two competition events. Contact time, stroke frequency and other parameters were derived from collected IMU data and related to...

Push-off forces in elite short-track speed skating

This study performed an analysis of the push-off forces of elite-short-track speed skaters using a new designed instrumented short-track speed skate with the aim to improve short-track skating performance. Four different skating strokes were distinguished for short-track speed skaters at speed. The strokes differed in stroke time, force level...

A musculoskeletal model of the hand and wrist: model definition and evaluation

To improve our understanding on the neuromechanics of finger movements, a comprehensive musculoskeletal model is needed. The aim of this study was to build a musculoskeletal model of the hand and wrist, based on one consistent data set of the relevant anatomical parameters. We built and tested a model including the hand and wrist segments, as...

Wireless instrumented klapskates for long-track speed skating

In the current project, we aim to provide speed skaters with real-time feedback on how to improve their skating performance within an individual stroke. The elite skaters and their coaches wish for a system that determines the mechanical power per stroke. The push-off force of the skater is a crucial variable in this power determination. In...

Shoulder load during handcycling at different incline and speed conditions

Background The manual wheelchair user population experiences a high prevalence of upper-limb injuries, which are related to a high load on the shoulder joint during activities of daily living, such as handrim wheelchair propulsion. An alternative mode of propulsion is handcycling, where lower external forces are suggested to be applied to reach...

Development of a comprehensive musculoskeletal model of the shoulder and elbow

The Delft Shoulder and Elbow Model (DSEM), a musculoskeletal model of the shoulder and elbow has been extensively developed since its introduction in 1994. Extensions cover both model structures and anatomical data focusing on the addition of an elbow part and muscle architecture parameters. The model was also extended with a new inverse...