Joint Stress Analysis of the Navicular Bone of the Horse and Its Implications for Navicular Disease.

The horse's navicular bone is located inside the hoof between the deep flexor tendon (DDFT) and the middle and end phalanges. The aim of this study was to calculate the stress distribution across the articular surface of the navicular bone and to investigate how morphological variations of the navicular bone affect the joint forces and stress distribution. Joint forces normalised to the DDFT force were calculated from force and moment equilibria from morphological parameters determined on mediolateral radiographs. The stress distribution on the articular surface was determined from the moment equilibrium of the stress vectors around the centre of pressure. The ratio of the proximal to the distal moment arms of the DDFT, as well as the proximo-distal position and extent of the navicular bone, individually or in combination, have a decisive influence on the position and magnitude of the joint force and the stress distribution. If the moment arms are equal and the bone is more proximal, the joint force vector originates from the centre of the joint surface and the joint load is evenly distributed. However, in a more distal position with a longer distal moment arm, the joint force is close to the distal edge, where the joint stress reaches its peak. Degenerative navicular disease, which causes lameness and pathological changes in the distal portion of the bone in sport horses, is likely to be more severe in horses with wedge-shaped navicular bones than in horses with square bones.

The Use of Wearable Devices to Measure Sedentary Behavior during COVID-19: Systematic Review and Future Recommendations.

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic resulted in approximately 7 million deaths and impacted 767 million individuals globally, primarily through infections. Acknowledging the impactful influence of sedentary behaviors, particularly exacerbated by COVID-19 restrictions, a substantial body of research has emerged, utilizing wearable sensor technologies to assess these behaviors. This comprehensive review aims to establish a framework encompassing recent studies concerning wearable sensor applications to measure sedentary behavior parameters during the COVID-19 pandemic, spanning December 2019 to December 2022. After examining 582 articles, 7 were selected for inclusion. While most studies displayed effective reporting standards and adept use of wearable device data for their specific research aims, our inquiry revealed deficiencies in apparatus accuracy documentation and study methodology harmonization. Despite methodological variations, diverse metrics, and the absence of thorough device accuracy assessments, integrating wearables within the pandemic context offers a promising avenue for objective measurements and strategies against sedentary behaviors.

Identification, Taxonomy and Performance Assessment of Type 1 and Type 2 Spin Bowling Deliveries with a Smart Cricket Ball.

Spin bowling deliveries in cricket, finger spin and wrist spin, are usually (Type 1, T1) performed with forearm supination and pronation, respectively, but can also be executed with opposite movements (Type 2, T2), specifically forearm pronation and supination, respectively. The aim of this study is to identify the differences between T1 and T2 using an advanced smart cricket ball, as well as to assess the dynamics of T1 and T2. With the hand aligned to the ball's coordinate system, the angular velocity vector, specifically the x-, y- and z-components of its unit vector and its yaw and pitch angles, were used to identify time windows where T1 and T2 deliveries were clearly separated. Such a window was found 0.44 s before the peak torque, and maximum separation was achieved when plotting the y-component against the z-component of the unit vector, or the yaw angle against the pitch angle. In terms of physical performance, T1 deliveries are easier to bowl than T2; in terms of skill performance, wrist spin deliveries are easier to bowl than finger spin. Because the smart ball allows differentiation between T1 and T2 deliveries, it is an ideal tool for talent identification and improving performance through more efficient training.

The Biomechanics of Converting Torque into Spin Rate in Spin Bowlers Analyzed with a Smart Cricket Ball.

Background: In previous studies that analyzed the biomechanics of spin bowling with a smart cricket ball, it was evident that not all the torque applied to the ball was converted into spin rate, with varying losses among different bowlers. This study aims to investigate the factors contributing to these losses. Methods: Developed in 2011, the world's first intelligent cricket ball features five physical and five skill performance parameters. Our study correlates five skill parameters with the ratio of total torque to spin rate to determine the most influential skill parameter. Results: The parameter that most affected the conversion of torque to spin rate was the ratio of maximum angular acceleration to maximum angular velocity. Since the unit of the latter ratio is measured in s-1 or Hz, we hypothesized that the duration of a time-window in which the torque is generated could be a factor in determining the effectiveness of torque to spin conversion. Upon closer examination of the data, we discovered that the spin torque (the torque component that boosts the spin rate) generated earlier in relation to the release point led to greater conversion of total torque into spin rate. Paradoxically, this occurred at smaller peak spin torques. As the time-window of the spin torque widens despite its decreasing magnitude, the angular impulse increases. Conclusions: As the skill parameter calculated from the ratio of maximum angular acceleration to maximum angular velocity correlates well with the time-window during which torque is generated, it can serve as a good indicator of skillful torque to spin conversion, and a potential parameter for talent identification.

A Review of Biomechanical and Physiological Effects of Using Poles in Sports.

The use of poles in sports, to support propulsion, is an integral and inherent component of some sports disciplines such as skiing (cross-country and roller), Nordic walking, and trail running. The aim of this review is to summarize the current state-of-the-art of literature on multiple influencing factors of poles in terms of biomechanical and physiological effects. We evaluated publications in the subfields of biomechanics, physiology, coordination, and pole properties. Plantar pressure and ground reaction forces decreased with the use of poles in all included studies. The upper body and trunk muscles were more active. The lower body muscles were either less active or no different from walking without poles. The use of poles led to a higher oxygen consumption (VO2) without increasing the level of perceived exertion (RPE). Furthermore, the heart rate (HR) tended to be higher. Longer poles reduced the VO2 and provided a longer thrust phase and greater propulsive impulse. The mass of the poles showed no major influence on VO2, RPE, or HR. Solely the activity of the biceps brachii increased with the pole mass.

Pressure Sensors for Measuring the Grip Pressure during Kendo Attacks: Assessment of Laterality and Evidence of the Five Phases of Attack.

In Kendo, there is no consensus as to which hand should produce more pressure when attacking the opponent with the bamboo sword, let alone how to teach the pressure distribution during coaching. There is the theory that a Kendo attack can be divided into five phases, which has not entered the coaching practice, either. The aim of this study was to measure the grip pressure during Kendo attacks, investigate the pressure distribution between the two hands, and find evidence for the existence of the alleged five attack phases. We instrumented a bamboo sword with grip pressure sensors and investigated the grip pressure in 23 participants. In all attack targets and in both hands, the pressure across all attack phases was significantly different. In general, the left-hand pressure was consistently and significantly higher than the right-hand one, across all five attack phases, for the hand, head, and flank attack targets. The surprising exception was the throat target with only two attack phases, the strike phase of which showed a greater pressure in the right hand. Across all participants, the left-hand pressure was greater in 60.22-100% in any phase of the four attack targets, except for the strike phase of the throat target. Through these results, we could verify the effect of the teaching customs in Kendo, as well as provide first-time evidence of the existence of the five attack phases.

Which preventive control measure initiated the "flattening of the curve" : A comparison of Austria and Victoria during the 2nd wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: When a country introduces different COVID-19 control measures over time, it is important to identify the specific measure that was effective and therefore responsible for "flattening the curve". This information helps policymakers find the right decision and saves the economy by avoiding severe yet ineffective measures. OBJECTIVE: This paper aims to fill the literature gap by investigating two regions that introduced two or three consecutive measures during the second COVID-19 wave, namely Austria and Victoria. METHOD: We calculated the first derivative (acceleration) of the filtered daily case data and identified the date of the start and end of the acceleration's major downturn (effective phase) relative to the date when the control measures were introduced (Austria: soft/hard lockdowns; Victoria: stages 3/4 lockdowns, mask order). RESULTS: In Austria, the effective phase started 5 days after the introduction of the soft lockdown and ended at the start of the hard lockdown. In Victoria, the effective phase started 19 days after the introduction of the stage 3 lockdown, 5 days after the introduction of the mask order, and ended 6 days after the start of the stage 4 lockdown. CONCLUSION: Considering that the effect of control measures is expected the earliest one serial interval after their introduction, the control measure responsible for "flattening the curve" was the soft lockdown in Austria and the mask mandate in Victoria. The severe lockdowns in both regions were ineffective.

Recent State of Wearable IMU Sensors Use in People Living with Spasticity: A Systematic Review.

Spasticity is a disabling characteristic of neurological disorders, described by a velocity-dependent increase in muscle tone during passive stretch. During the last few years, many studies have been carried out to assess spasticity using wearable IMU (inertial measurements unit) sensors. This review aims to provide an updated framework of the current research on IMUs wearable sensors in people living with spasticity in recent studies published between 2017 and 2021. A total of 322 articles were screened, then finally 10 articles were selected. Results show the lack of homogenization of study procedures and missing apparatus information in some studies. Still, most studies performed adequately on measures of reporting and found that IMUs wearable data was successful in their respective purposes and goals. As IMUs estimate translational and rotational body motions, we believe there is a strong potential for these applications to estimate velocity-dependent exaggeration of stretch reflexes and spasticity-related characteristics in spasticity. This review also proposes new directions of research that should be challenged by larger study groups and could be of interest to both researchers as well as clinicians. The use of IMUs to evaluate spasticity is a promising avenue to provide an objective measurement as compared to non-instrumented traditional assessments.

Comparing the applicability of temporal gait symmetry, variability and laterality in bilateral gait conditions: A feasibility study of healthy individuals and people with diabetic neuropathy.

BACKGROUND: Gait symmetry is used to measure pathological gait but is usually applied to unilateral pathology. This study aims to investigate bilateral impairment using existing and new gait symmetry methods. METHODS: 15 healthy volunteers and 14 people with diabetes and distal symmetrical polyneuropathy participated in this study. Three temporal parameters (combined step, stance phase and double stance), expressed as a percentage, were extracted for comparing gait symmetry between healthy volunteers and patients using in-shoe measurements (Pedar-X). Three indices were calculated, including the widely used Symmetry Index; the well-established Variability Index; and the newly developed Laterality Index, that calculates how well distributed a condition is across both legs. FINDINGS: In all three parameters, Symmetry and Variability Index proved to be significantly greater in the diabetic cohort (p-values range < 0.001-0.0226). The Laterality Index was significantly greater in the diabetic cohort for the stance and double stance phases (p-values 0.03 and < 0.001), but not for the combined step (p-value 0.3953). In both cohorts, Laterality Index <1 (fractional laterality) was associated with small Symmetry Index data, whereas in large Symmetry Index data, the Laterality Index was 1 (unilateral condition). INTERPRETATIONS: Gait symmetry and variability are useful tools for quantifying locomotion and the effects of aging and diseases. We have shown the ability of these two indices in differentiating two extreme groups of individuals. For cases with small Symmetry Index, the current method of using an arbitrary value is not ideal. The newly developed Laterality Index can be used to decide on the cut-off between symmetrical and asymmetrical gait.

Gait Assessment Using Wearable Sensor-Based Devices in People Living with Dementia: A Systematic Review.

The ability of people living with dementia to walk independently is a key contributor to their overall well-being and autonomy. For this reason, understanding the relationship between dementia and gait is significant. With rapidly emerging developments in technology, wearable devices offer a portable and affordable alternative for healthcare experts to objectively estimate kinematic parameters with great accuracy. This systematic review aims to provide an updated overview and explore the opportunities in the current research on wearable sensors for gait analysis in adults over 60 living with dementia. A systematic search was conducted in the following scientific databases: PubMed, Cochrane Library, and IEEE Xplore. The targeted search identified 1992 articles that were potentially eligible for inclusion, but, following title, abstract, and full-text review, only 6 articles were deemed to meet the inclusion criteria. Most studies performed adequately on measures of reporting, in and out of a laboratory environment, and found that sensor-derived data are successful in their respective objectives and goals. Nevertheless, we believe that additional studies utilizing standardized protocols should be conducted in the future to explore the impact and usefulness of wearable devices in gait-related characteristics such as fall prognosis and early diagnosis in people living with dementia.

Mobile Computing with a Smart Cricket Ball: Discovery of Novel Performance Parameters and Their Practical Application to Performance Analysis, Advanced Profiling, Talent Identification and Training Interventions of Spin Bowlers.

INTRODUCTION: Profiling of cricket bowlers is performed with motion analyses systems that require the placement of markers on the bowler's body and on the ball. Conventional smart balls such as cricket and baseballs provide only one speed and one spin rate datum at the release point, which is insufficient for biomechanical profiling. METHOD: In this study, we used an advanced smart cricket ball that measures the angular velocity at 815 Hz and calculates four further physical performance parameters (resultant torque, spin torque, power and angular acceleration) and five new skill parameters (precession, normalised precession, precession torque, efficiency and ratio of angular acceleration to spin rate), which we used for profiling and talent identification of spin bowlers. RESULTS: The results showed that the spin rate is a function of physical (torque) and skill proficiency, namely how efficiently the torque is converted to angular velocity rather than being wasted for precession. The kind of delivery also influences the efficiency, as finger-spin deliveries were less efficient than wrist-spin ones by 6.8% on average; and topspin deliveries were generally more efficient than backspin ones by 15% on average. We tested three bowlers in terms of physical and skill performance during a 10-over spell, revealing that some parameters can improve or decline. When profiling a topspinner, we detected from the performance parameters a lower skill performance than expected, because there was an initial arm motion for backspin delivery before releasing the ball with a topspin. After training intervention, the skill parameters improved significantly (the efficiency increased from 39% to 59%). CONCLUSIONS: The advanced smart cricket ball is a classic example of mobile computing for sport performance analysis that can conducted indoors as well as outdoors, generating instant data from 10 performance parameters that provide critical feedback to the coach and bowler.

Pressure Sensor System for Customized Scoliosis Braces.

Hard-shell thoracolumbar sacral orthoses (TLSOs) are used for treating idiopathic scoliosis, a deformation of the spine with a sideways curvature. The pressure required inside the TLSO for ideal corrective results remains unclear. Retrofitting TLSOs with commercially available pressure measurement systems is expensive and can only be performed in a laboratory. The aim of this study was to develop a cost-effective but accurate pressure sensor system for TLSOs. The sensor was built from a piezoresistive polymer, placed between two closed-cell foam liners, and evaluated with a material testing machine. Because foams are energy absorbers, the pressure-conductance curve was affected by hysteresis. The sensor was calibrated on a force plate with the transitions from loading to unloading used to establish the calibration curve. The root mean square error was 12% on average within the required pressure range of 0.01-0.13 MPa. The sensor reacted to the changing pressure during breathing and different activities when tested underneath a chest belt at different tensions. The peak pressure reached 0.135 MPa. The sensor was further tested inside the scoliosis brace during different activities. The measured pressure was 0.014-0.124 MPa. The results from this study enable cheaper and mobile systems to be used for clinical studies on the comfort and pressure of braces during daily activities.

Heart Rate Behavior in Speed Climbing.

Speed climbing is an Olympic discipline within the combined sport climbing event in 2020 for the first time. Speed climbing is a high-speed and anaerobic exercise against gravity over a few seconds with extreme psychological pressure. Although there is some literature on heart rate (HR) when lead climbing, there is no literature on the behavior of the HR when speed climbing. The HR of seven near-elite participants was measured with a Polar HR monitor while climbing a 10- and 15-m wall, respectively, three times each, with pauses of 5 min between the first and last three climbs and a 20-min pause between the third and fourth climb. The average climbing times on the 10- and 15-m walls were 9.16 ± 3.06 s and 14.95 ± 3.14 s, respectively (data pooled between climbing heights). The peak HR on the 10- and 15-m walls were 164.57 ± 7.45 bpm and 176.43 ± 8.09 bpm. The rates of change in HR were as follows: average HR acceleration before peak HR, 2.53 ± 0.80 bpm/s; peak HR acceleration before peak HR, 4.16 ± 1.08 bpm/s; and average HR deceleration after peak HR, -0.98 ± 0.30 bpm/s. The average HR during the pauses ranged from 105.80 to 117.89 bpm. From the results, in comparison to the literature, we conclude that athletes, trained for sustaining high physical exertion and psychological pressure, have a far smaller HR acceleration than untrained people during light and unstressful exercises. Furthermore, the current rule that athletes shall have a minimum resting time of 5 min between climbing attempts during a speed climbing competition seems justified as sufficient time for HR recovery.

Climbers' Perception of Hold Surface Properties: Roughness Versus Slip Resistance.

The more experienced a climber is, the more friction they can impart on a climbing hold surface. The aim of this research was to investigate how the properties of a hold's surface are perceived and how the perception relates to the amount of friction applied to the hold. The holds' surface properties are roughness/smoothness and grippiness/slippiness. Fourteen different surfaces with a wide range of property combinations were selected and placed on an instrumented climbing hold, mounted on a bouldering wall, and incorporated into a climbing route. Twenty-two climbers participated in the study. The ratio of friction to normal force (denoted friction coefficient or COF subsequently) was obtained from the sensor data, and the subjective ranking of the surface properties was provided by the participants. The average COF applied to the surfaces ranged from 0.53 (Teflon) to 0.84 (rubber). The surfaces with the lowest and highest grippiness and roughness ranking were Teflon and sandpaper, respectively. The correlation between roughness and COF was insignificant, whereas the correlation of grippiness and COF was significant. This applies to the 22 participants at the group level. At the individual level, 50% (11 climbers) of the participants did not show any correlations between surface properties and COF; eight climbers exhibited correlations between the combined grippiness and roughness (multiple regression) and COF, as well as grippiness and COF; only one climber out of the eight showed an additional correlation between roughness and COF. The results are interpreted in a way that climbers assess a hold's surface based on grippiness, and not on the roughness, and apply a COF to the hold that reflects the perception of grippiness.

'Electrical viscosity' of piezoresistive sensors: Novel signal processing method, assessment of manufacturing quality, and proposal of an industrial standard.

Piezoresistive sensors become increasingly important in wearable devices, specifically sensors printed with piezoresistive inks. The electrical viscosity of these sensors causes phenomena such as stress relaxation, creep and hysteresis. This compromises sensor calibration and leads to inaccurate results. When subjecting a sensor to loading and unloading, the subsequent calculation of the fractional time derivative of the conductance leads to the elimination of the hysteresis. The order of the fractional derivative equals the magnitude of the sensor's viscosity. In our study, the viscosity of several pressure sensors was determined with a material testing machine and ranged from 0.55% to 22.35%. We found that shunt-mode sensors are less viscous than through-mode sensors. In addition, if a viscous material is placed on top of the sensor, then its viscosity increases. This is important as some calibration devices for pressure sensor arrays use rubber bladders which are viscous. From the perspective of manufacturing, the variation of the viscosity across a sensor array accounts for the quality of the pressure sensor mat and should be kept to a minimum. An industry standard is proposed that calculates and reports the sensor viscosity based on loading and unloading of the sensor and calculating the fractional time derivative of the conductance, whose fractional order reduces the pressure - conductance hysteresis to zero and thereby corresponds to the sensor's viscosity.

Slipstreaming in Gravity Powered Sports: Application to Racing Strategy in Ski Cross.

The principles of slipstreaming or drafting are very well known in muscle-powered sports, but unknown in gravity-powered sports. Typical examples of gravity-powered sports, where several athletes are racing against each other, are ski-cross and snowboard-cross. The aim of this research is to investigate the effectiveness and practical applicability of slipstreaming in ski-cross. A glide model consisting of leading and trailing skiers was developed and used with existing aerodynamic drag and lift data sets from wind tunnel tests. Different scenarios were tested as to their effect on slipstreaming, such as variation of speed, skiers' mass, slope angle, air density, and racing posture (high/low tucked position). The higher the trailing skier's inertial force and acceleration is compared to the leading one, the quicker the trailing skier can catch up. Making more ground up on the racing track is related to higher speed, less body mass (of both skiers), flatter slope angle, denser air, and higher racing posture (high tucked position of both skiers). The glide model presented in this research can be used in the future for testing of slope track design, provided that precise dimensions of terrain features are available.

Muscle Performance Investigated With a Novel Smart Compression Garment Based on Pressure Sensor Force Myography and Its Validation Against EMG.

Muscle activity and fatigue performance parameters were obtained and compared between both a smart compression garment and the gold-standard, a surface electromyography (EMG) system during high-speed cycling in seven participants. The smart compression garment, based on force myography (FMG), comprised of integrated pressure sensors that were sandwiched between skin and garment, located on five thigh muscles. The muscle activity was assessed by means of crank cycle diagrams (polar plots) that displayed the muscle activity relative to the crank cycle. The fatigue was assessed by means of the median frequency of the power spectrum of the EMG signal; the fractal dimension (FD) of the EMG signal; and the FD of the pressure signal. The smart compression garment returned performance parameters (muscle activity and fatigue) comparable to the surface EMG. The major differences were that the EMG measured the electrical activity, whereas the pressure sensor measured the mechanical activity. As such, there was a phase shift between electrical and mechanical signals, with the electrical signals preceding the mechanical counterparts in most cases. This is specifically pronounced in high-speed cycling. The fatigue trend over the duration of the cycling exercise was clearly reflected in the fatigue parameters (FDs and median frequency) obtained from pressure and EMG signals. The fatigue parameter of the pressure signal (FD) showed a higher time dependency (R2 = 0.84) compared to the EMG signal. This reflects that the pressure signal puts more emphasis on the fatigue as a function of time rather than on the origin of fatigue (e.g., peripheral or central fatigue). In light of the high-speed activity results, caution should be exerted when using data obtained from EMG for biomechanical models. In contrast to EMG data, activity data obtained from FMG are considered more appropriate and accurate as an input for biomechanical modeling as they truly reflect the mechanical muscle activity. In summary, the smart compression garment based on FMG is a valid alternative to EMG-garments and provides more accurate results at high-speed activity (avoiding the electro-mechanical delay), as well as clearly measures the progress of muscle fatigue over time.

Recommendations for Assessment of the Reliability, Sensitivity, and Validity of Data Provided by Wearable Sensors Designed for Monitoring Physical Activity.

Although it is becoming increasingly popular to monitor parameters related to training, recovery, and health with wearable sensor technology (wearables), scientific evaluation of the reliability, sensitivity, and validity of such data is limited and, where available, has involved a wide variety of approaches. To improve the trustworthiness of data collected by wearables and facilitate comparisons, we have outlined recommendations for standardized evaluation. We discuss the wearable devices themselves, as well as experimental and statistical considerations. Adherence to these recommendations should be beneficial not only for the individual, but also for regulatory organizations and insurance companies.

Discovery of a Sweet Spot on the Foot with a Smart Wearable Soccer Boot Sensor That Maximizes the Chances of Scoring a Curved Kick in Soccer.

This paper provides the evidence of a sweet spot on the boot/foot as well as the method for detecting it with a wearable pressure sensitive device. This study confirmed the hypothesized existence of sweet and dead spots on a soccer boot or foot when kicking a ball. For a stationary curved kick, kicking the ball at the sweet spot maximized the probability of scoring a goal (58-86%), whereas having the impact point at the dead zone minimized the probability (11-22%). The sweet spot was found based on hypothesized favorable parameter ranges (center of pressure in x/y-directions and/or peak impact force) and the dead zone based on hypothesized unfavorable parameter ranges. The sweet spot was rather concentrated, independent of which parameter combination was used (two- or three-parameter combination), whereas the dead zone, located 21 mm from the sweet spot, was more widespread.

Comparison of Non-Invasive Individual Monitoring of the Training and Health of Athletes with Commercially Available Wearable Technologies.

Athletes adapt their training daily to optimize performance, as well as avoid fatigue, overtraining and other undesirable effects on their health. To optimize training load, each athlete must take his/her own personal objective and subjective characteristics into consideration and an increasing number of wearable technologies (wearables) provide convenient monitoring of various parameters. Accordingly, it is important to help athletes decide which parameters are of primary interest and which wearables can monitor these parameters most effectively. Here, we discuss the wearable technologies available for non-invasive monitoring of various parameters concerning an athlete's training and health. On the basis of these considerations, we suggest directions for future development. Furthermore, we propose that a combination of several wearables is most effective for accessing all relevant parameters, disturbing the athlete as little as possible, and optimizing performance and promoting health.