The Effects of the 11+ Dance Neuromuscular Program on Jump Height and Lower Extremity Biomechanics in Female Adolescent Dancers: A Non-Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Neuromuscular warm-up programs, such as FIFA 11+ were developed as early as 2006. These programs have been effective in reducing the risk of injury in female athletes by decreasing the moments surrounding the knee and improving neuromuscular control during static and dynamic movements such as jumping and landing. In addition, they have been effective for improving jump height in soccer, volleyball, and basketball. METHODS: The effects of the 11+ Dance, a dance-specific neuromuscular warm-up program, was examined on jump height and lower extremity biomechanics during bilateral and single leg countermovement jumps in recreational dancers. Twenty female adolescents from 2 dance schools participated in this 2-centered 8-week controlled non-randomized trial. The intervention group (IG) performed the 11+ Dance program 3×/week for 8-weeks during the first 30-minute of their regularly scheduled dance classes. The control group (CG) continued with their regular dance classes routine. Ground reaction force and motion capture data were used to assess jump height and lower extremity biomechanics pre and post intervention. RESULTS: Both groups statistically increased their jump height (CG: Z = 1.89-2.45, P ≤ .0167; IG: Z = 2.18-2.76, P ≤ .0167). However, no statistical between group differences were observed (Z = 0.38-1.22, P > .05). During takeoff, the IG statistically reduced peak knee extension moments (t(18) = -3.04 to -3.77, P ≤ .0167) while increasing peak hip extension moments (t(18) = 2.16-2.79, P ≤ .05) and peak hip flexion angles (t(18) = 2.68-3.72, P ≤ .0167) compared to the CG. The IG also increased the hip flexion angles compared to the CG during landing (t(18) = 2.78-5.13, P ≤ .0167) while no systematic differences were observed in all other variables of lower extremity biomechanics. CONCLUSION: The reduced joint load at the knee observed during takeoff needs further investigation. Neuromuscular training, such as the 11+ Dance, is supported by numerous quality research. Due to its simplicity, the 11+ Dance may be feasible and beneficial to complement regular warm-ups in recreational dance practice.

Curved non-motorized treadmills do not biomechanically replicate overground running better than motorized treadmills.

The purpose of this study was to determine if curved non-motorized treadmills can reproduce overground running better than motorized treadmills by analysing the differences in joint kinematics (hip, knee, and ankle) using SPM. Nineteen recreational runners completed three randomized running tests on these surfaces. Kinematic data from the hip, knee, and ankle joints were collected. Two-tailed SPM t-tests were performed to analyse time-continuous gait cycles in three anatomical planes of each joint. Higher within-subject variability was observed in the frontal and transverse planes during curved non-motorized treadmill running. SPM analysis showed more significant differences (p < 0.05) between curved non-motorized treadmill and overground than between motorized treadmill and overground, mainly in knee (from 12% to 30% and 93% to 99% of the gait cycle) and ankle (from 19% to 23% of the gait cycle) in the sagittal plane. Therefore, running on curved non-motorized treadmills is more biomechanically different compared to overground than motorized treadmills, and might not be the best strategy to replicate overground running in terms of joint kinematics during highly controlled research studies. However, they could be an interesting tool in rehabilitation or training environments since the changes observed in joint kinematics were likely not functionally relevant.

Estimating Running Ground Reaction Forces from Plantar Pressure during Graded Running.

Ground reaction forces (GRFs) describe how runners interact with their surroundings and provide the basis for computing inverse dynamics. Wearable technology can predict time-continuous GRFs during walking and running; however, the majority of GRF predictions examine level ground locomotion. The purpose of this manuscript was to predict vertical and anterior-posterior GRFs across different speeds and slopes. Eighteen recreationally active subjects ran on an instrumented treadmill while we collected GRFs and plantar pressure. Subjects ran on level ground at 2.6, 3.0, 3.4, and 3.8 m/s, six degrees inclined at 2.6, 2.8, and 3.0 m/s, and six degrees declined at 2.6, 2.8, 3.0, and 3.4 m/s. We estimated GRFs using a set of linear models and a recurrent neural network, which used speed, slope, and plantar pressure as inputs. We also tested eliminating speed and slope as inputs. The recurrent neural network outperformed the linear model across all conditions, especially with the prediction of anterior-posterior GRFs. Eliminating speed and slope as model inputs had little effect on performance. We also demonstrate that subject-specific model training can reduce errors from 8% to 3%. With such low errors, researchers can use these wearable-based GRFs to understand running performance or injuries in real-world settings.

Addition of a Cognitive Task During Walking Alters Lower Body Muscle Activity.

This study compared electromyography of five leg muscles during a single walking task (WALK) to a dual task (walking + cognitive task; COG) in 40 individuals (20 M and 20 F) using a wavelet analysis technique. It was hypothesized that muscle activation during the dual task would differ significantly from the walking task with respect to both timing (H1) and frequency (H2). The mean overall intensity for the COG trials was 4.1% lower for the tibialis anterior and 5.5% higher for the gastrocnemius medialis than in the WALK trials. The changes between the WALK and COG trials were short 50 ms bursts that occurred within 100 ms of heel strike in the tibialis anterior, and longer activation periods during the stance phase in the gastrocnemius medialis. No changes in overall intensity were observed in the peroneus longus, gastrocnemius lateralis, or soleus. Furthermore, no clear frequency bands within the signal could further characterize the overall changes in muscle activity during the COG task. This advances our understanding of how the division of attentional resources affects muscle activity in a healthy population of adults.

Systematic reduction of leg muscle activity throughout a standard assessment of running footwear.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate whether there is a systematic change of leg muscle activity, as quantified by surface electromyography (EMG), throughout a standard running footwear assessment protocol at a predetermined running speed. METHODS: Thirty-one physically active adults (15 females and 16 males) completed 5 testing rounds consisting of overground running trials at a speed of 3.5 m/s. The level of muscle activity from 6 major leg muscles was recorded using surface EMG. The variables assessed were the EMG total intensity as a function of time and the cumulative EMG overall intensity. Systematic effects of the chronological testing round (independent variable) on the normalized EMG overall intensity (dependent variable) were examined using Friedman analysis of variates and post hoc pairwise Wilcoxon signed-rank tests (α = 0.05). RESULTS: There was a systematic reduction in overall EMG intensity for all 6 muscles over the time course of the running protocol (p < 0.001) until the fourth testing round when EMG intensities reached a steady state. The one exception was the biceps femoris muscle, which showed a significant reduction of EMG intensity during the stance phase (p < 0.001) but not the swing phase (p = 0.16). CONCLUSION: While running at a predetermined speed, the neuromuscular system undergoes an adaptation process characterized by a progressive reduction in the activity level of major leg muscles. This process may represent an optimization strategy of the neuromuscular system towards a more energetically efficient running style. Future running protocols should include a familiarization period of at least 7 min or 600 strides of running at the predetermined speed.

The Effects of a 9-Week Hip Focused Weight Training Program on Hip and Knee Kinematics and Kinetics in Experienced Female Dancers.

Increased involvement of the hip musculature during some movements is associated with enhanced performance and reduced injury risk. However, the impact of hip dominant weight training methods on movement strategy has seen limited attention within the literature. The aim of this study was to evaluate if a 9-week hip dominant weight training intervention promotes a more hip dominant movement strategy leading to an improvement in countermovement jump performance. Twenty-two experienced female dancers were recruited and separated into an intervention (age 24.4 ± 6.3 years, body height 165.5 ± 5.8 cm, body mass 65.9 ± 5.6 kg) and a control (age 22.9 ± 5.6 years, body height 163.3 ± 5.4 cm, body mass 57.4 ± 6.8 kg) group. The intervention group participated in a 9-week hip dominant training intervention, which consisted of a wide stance back squat, Romanian deadlift, hip thrusters, and a bent over row. Hip and knee kinematics and kinetics, and countermovement jump performance were assessed pre and post training. Significant interaction effects were found for peak hip joint moment (p = 0.030, η2 = 0.214) and countermovement jump performance (p = 0.003, η2 = 0.356), indicating an increase in peak hip joint moment and countermovement jump performance for the intervention group. Specifically, the intervention group showed a mean increase in jump height of 11.5%. The data show that the use of a hip dominant weight training strategy can improve hip contribution in the propulsion phase of the countermovement jump. Strength and conditioning specialists should incorporate hip dominant weight training exercises to increase hip strength and improve performance.

Shoe feature recommendations for different running levels: A Delphi study.

Providing runners with footwear that match their functional needs has the potential to improve footwear comfort, enhance running performance and reduce the risk of overuse injuries. It is currently not known how footwear experts make decisions about different shoe features and their properties for runners of different levels. We performed a Delphi study in order to understand: 1) definitions of different runner levels, 2) which footwear features are considered important and 3) how these features should be prescribed for runners of different levels. Experienced academics, journalists, coaches, bloggers and physicians that examine the effects of footwear on running were recruited to participate in three rounds of a Delphi study. Three runner level definitions were refined throughout this study based on expert feedback. Experts were also provided a list of 20 different footwear features. They were asked which features were important and what the properties of those features should be. Twenty-four experts, most with 10+ years of experience, completed all three rounds of this study. These experts came to a consensus for the characteristics of three different running levels. They indicated that 12 of the 20 footwear features initially proposed were important for footwear design. Of these 12 features, experts came to a consensus on how to apply five footwear feature properties for all three different running levels. These features were: upper breathability, forefoot bending stiffness, heel-to-toe drop, torsional bending stiffness and crash pad. Interestingly, the experts were not able to come to a consensus on one of the most researched footwear features, rearfoot midsole hardness. These recommendations can provide a starting point for further biomechanical studies, especially for features that are considered as important, but have not yet been examined experimentally.

Reliability and validity of a novel device for quantifying ankle dorsiflexion force in persons with multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: With emerging treatment modalities and therapeutics for Multiple Sclerosis (MS), there is a critical need for improved measures of disability. Routine clinical practice and trials will benefit from devices that are capable of objectively quantifying muscle strength/weakness. We have developed a device for measuring Tibialis Anterior (TA) force that is both objective and easy to use - the Rapid Objective Quantification - TA (ROQ-TA). The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of the ROQ-TA versus Manual Muscle Testing and Isokinetic Dynamometry (IKD) for evaluating TA force in persons with MS (PwMS). METHODS: Ankle dorsiflexion of 20 PwMS was assessed by three modalities: ROQ-TA, MMT, and IKD over 2 testing sessions. ICC(2,1) values and Bland-Altman plots were used to assess reliability and validity of the ROQ-TA. RESULTS: The ICC(2,1) for reliability for the ROQ-TA was found to be 0.884 (0.690-0.957) while the IKD produced a similar ICC(2,1) of 0.919 (0.784-0.970). The mean difference between the two sessions for the ROQ-TA was -6.4 N with limits of agreement of 42.5 to -55.4 N as inferred by the Bland-Altman plots. With respect to validity, the ROQ-TA versus IKD yielded similar values for both sessions- the mean bias was 9.3 N (SE range: -3.4 to 22 N) for session 1 and 9.9 N for session 2 (SE range: -3.2 to 23.0 N). The ICC(2,1) values between the two devices were in moderate agreement - session 1: 0.579 (-0.125-0.843) and session 2: 0.490 (-0.363-0.809). CONCLUSION: The ROQ-TA is a valid and highly reliable device to test dorsiflexion force in PwMS.

The Submaximal Lateral Shuffle Test: A reliability and sensitivity analysis.

Lateral ankle stability and how it changes in different footwear has been investigated for years. Research, however, has shown a lack of reliability or sensitivity of available methodologies. This study aimed to evaluate the test-retest reliability and sensitivity of a novel lateral stability protocol, the Submaximal Lateral Shuffle Test (SLST). We recruited 11 and 40 participants to assess reliability and sensitivity of the SLST, respectively. Participants performed the SLST in footwear that differed in collar height and upper stiffness. ICC values showed good to excellent reliability in peak ankle angles and moments, ground reaction forces, impulses, stance time, and performance time. Significantly lower peak inversion and adduction angles and lower medio-lateral push off peak forces were found in the high cut shoes compared to the low cut shoes. The medio-lateral landing peak force showed lower forces in the high cut shoes. The smallest worthwhile change indicated meaningful differences in 70.0-82.5% of participants for inversion, adduction, medio-lateral landing peak, and push off peak forces. These results, however, were not systematic such that there was not a consistent direction of the difference for all participants. In conclusion, the SLST is a promising protocol to further investigate lateral stability in footwear.

Portable fixed dynamometry to quantify ankle dorsiflexion force.

INTRODUCTION: Quantifying muscle strength is critical in clinical and research settings. A rapid and objective method is ideal. The primary objective of this study was to examine the reliability of a novel device, the rapid objective quantification- tibialis anterior (ROQ-TA), which quantifies the dorsiflexion force of the tibialis anterior, and to assess its validity against isokinetic dynamometry (IKD). METHODS: Ankle dorsiflexion of 20 healthy subjects was assessed by 3 modalities, ROQ-TA, manual muscle testing, and isokinetic dynamometry, over 2 testing sessions. RESULTS: The intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC(2,1) ] for reliability was 0.872 (0.677-0.949) for the ROQ-TA and 0.892 (0.728-0.957) for IKD. For validity, the ICC(2,1) values for the ROQ-TA and IKD were in good agreement, with 0.672 (0.17-0.87) in the first testing session and 0.769 (0.42-0.91) in the second session. DISCUSSION: The ROQ-TA is a valid and reliable device to test ankle dorsiflexion force in a healthy population. Muscle Nerve, 2018.

The effect of torsional shoe sole stiffness on knee moment and gross efficiency in cycling.

Altering torsional stiffness of cycling shoe soles may be a novel approach to reducing knee joint moments and overuse injuries during cycling. We set out to determine if the magnitude of three-dimensional knee moments were different between cycling shoe soles with different torsional stiffnesses. Eight trained male cyclists cycled at 90% lactate threshold power output in one of two cycling shoe conditions in a randomized crossover design. The shoe sole was considered torsionally flexible (FLEX) compared to a relatively stiffer (STIFF) sole. Gross efficiency (GE) and knee joint moments were quantified. No significant effect of shoe condition was seen in GE (21.4 ± 1.1% and 20.9 ± 1.6% for FLEX and STIFF, respectively, P = 0.12), nor in three-dimensional knee moments. 4 of the 8 subjects had reduced knee moments in at least 2 of the 3 moment directions. These "responders" were significantly shorter (1.73 ± 0.02 m vs 1.81 ± 0.04 m, P = 0.017) and had a higher relative maximal aerobic power (MAP) (4.6 ± 0.3 W∙kg-1 vs 3.9 ± 0.3 W∙kg-1, P = 0.024) compared to non-responders. These results suggest that certain shoe characteristics may influence certain individuals differently because these participants belong to different "functional groups"; certain individuals may respond positively to FLEX, while others may not. Further studies should test this proposed hypothesis.

Towards a wearable monitoring tool for in-field ice hockey skating performance analysis.

The capturing of movements by means of wearable sensors has become increasingly popular in order to obtain sport performance measures during training or competition. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the feasibility of using body worn accelerometers to identify previous highlighted performance related biomechanical changes in terms of substantial differences across skill levels and skating phases. Twenty-two ice hockey players of different caliber were equipped with two 3D accelerometers, located on the skate and the waist, as they performed 30 m forward skating sprints on an ice rink. Two measures of the temporal stride characteristics (contact time and stride time) and one measure of the propulsive power (stride propulsion) of a skating stride were calculated and checked for discriminating effects across (i) skill levels and (ii) sprint phases as well as for their (iii) strength of association with the sprint performance (total sprint time). High caliber players showed an increased stride propulsion (+22%, P < 0.05) and shorter contact time (-5%, P < 0.05). All three analysed variables highlighted substantial biomechanical differences between the accelerative and constant velocity phases (P < 0.05). Stride propulsion of acceleration strides primarily correlated to total sprint time (r = -0.57, P < 0.05). The results demonstrate the potential of accelerometers to assess skating technique elements such as contact time or elements characterizing the propulsive power such as center of mass acceleration, to gauge skating performance. Thus, the findings of this study might contribute to establishing wearable sensors for in-field ice hockey skating performance analysis.

The Preferred Movement Path Paradigm: Influence of Running Shoes on Joint Movement.

PURPOSE: (A) To quantify differences in lower extremity joint kinematics for groups of runners subjected to different running footwear conditions, and (B) to quantify differences in lower extremity joint kinematics on an individual basis for runners subjected to different running footwear conditions. METHODS: Three-dimensional ankle and knee joint kinematics were collected for 35 heel-toe runners when wearing three different running shoes and when running barefoot. Absolute mean differences in ankle and knee joint kinematics were computed between running shoe conditions. The percentage of individual runners who displayed differences below a 2°, 3°, and 5° threshold were also calculated. RESULTS: The results indicate that the mean kinematics of the ankle and knee joints were similar between running shoe conditions. Aside from ankle dorsiflexion and knee flexion, the percentage of runners maintaining their movement path between running shoes (i.e., less than 3°) was in the order of magnitude of about 80% to 100%. Many runners showed ankle and knee joint kinematics that differed between a conventional running shoe and barefoot by more than 3°, especially for ankle dorsiflexion and knee flexion. CONCLUSIONS: Many runners stay in the same movement path (the preferred movement path) when running in various different footwear conditions. The percentage of runners maintaining their preferred movement path depends on the magnitude of the change introduced by the footwear condition.

Effect of the look-up line on the gaze and head orientation of elite ice hockey players.

A "look-up line" (LUL) has been proposed for ice hockey, which is an orange 1 m (40') warning line (WL) painted on the ice at the base of the boards. The LUL purports to provide an early warning to players to keep their head up prior to and as they are being checked. We determined if players looked up more on a rink with the LUL compared to a traditional Control rink. Elite offensive (O) and defensive (D) players competed 1 vs. 1, while wearing an eye tracker that recorded their quiet eye (QE) and fixation and tracking (F-T) and an electrogoniometer that measured head angle. External cameras recorded skate duration during four skate phases: P1 preparation, P2 decision-making, P3 cut to boards, P4 contact. The QE was the final fixation prior to contact between O and D as they skated towards and across the WL during P3 and P4. Skate phase durations (%) did not differ by rink or rink by position. More QE and F-T occurred on the WL on the LUL rink than on the Control. The expected increase in head angle on the LUL rink did not occur during P3 or P4. Post-hoc results also showed O and D skated further from the boards on the LUL rink, suggesting the players preferred to control the puck on white ice, rather than the orange colour of the LUL rink. More research is needed to determine if these results apply to the competitive setting.

Older adults show higher increases in lower-limb muscle activity during whole-body vibration exercise.

The purpose of this study was to compare lower limb muscle activity during whole-body vibration (WBV) exercise between a young and an older study population. Thirty young (25.9±4.3yrs) and thirty older (64.2±5.3yrs) individuals stood on a side-alternating WBV platform while surface electromyography (sEMG) was measured for the tibialis anterior (TA), gastrocnemius medialis (GM), soleus (SOL), vastus lateralis (VL), vastus medialis (VM), and biceps femoris (BF). The WBV protocol included nine vibration settings consisting of three frequencies (6, 11, 16Hz) x three amplitudes (0.9, 2.5, 4.0mm), and three control trials without vibration (narrow, medium, wide stance). The vertical platform acceleration (peak values of maximal displacement from equilibrium) was quantified during each vibration exercise using an accelerometer. The outcomes of this study showed that WBV significantly increased muscle activity in both groups for most vibration conditions in the TA (averaged absolute increase: young: +3.9%, older: +18.4%), GM (young: +4.1%, older: +9.5%), VL (young: +6.3%, older: +12.6%) and VM (young: +5.4%, older: +8.0%), and for the high frequency-amplitude combinations in the SOL (young: +7.5%, older: +12.6%) and BF (young: +1.9%, older: +7.5%). The increases in sEMG activity were significantly higher in the older than the young adults for all muscles, i.e., TA (absolute difference: 13.8%, P<0.001), GM (4.6%, P=0.034), VL (7.6%, P=0.001), VM (6.7%, P=0.042), BF (6.4%, P<0.001), except for the SOL (0.3%, P=0.248). Finally, the vertical platform acceleration was a significant predictor of the averaged lower limb muscle activity in the young (r=0.917, P<0.001) and older adults (r=0.931, P<0.001). In conclusion, the older population showed greater increases in lower limb muscle activity during WBV exercise than their young counterparts, meaning that they might benefit more from WBV exercises. Additionally, training intensity can be increased by increasing the vertical acceleration load.

A Novel Approach to Determine Strides, Ice Contact, and Swing Phases During Ice Hockey Skating Using a Single Accelerometer.

This study presents a new approach for automated identification of ice hockey skating strides and a method to detect ice contact and swing phases of individual strides by quantifying vibrations in 3D acceleration data during the blade-ice interaction. The strides of a 30-m forward sprinting task, performed by 6 ice hockey players, were evaluated using a 3D accelerometer fixed to a hockey skate. Synchronized plantar pressure data were recorded as reference data. To determine the accuracy of the new method on a range of forward stride patterns for temporal skating events, estimated contact times and stride times for a sequence of 5 consecutive strides was validated. Bland-Altman limits of agreement (95%) between accelerometer and plantar pressure derived data were less than 0.019 s. Mean differences between the 2 capture methods were shown to be less than 1 ms for contact and stride time. These results demonstrate the validity of the novel approach to determine strides, ice contact, and swing phases during ice hockey skating. This technology is accurate, simple, effective, and allows for in-field ice hockey testing.

Ankle muscle strength influence on muscle activation during dynamic and static ankle training modalities.

Muscle weakness is considered a risk factor for ankle injury. Balance training and barefoot running have been used in an attempt to strengthen the muscles crossing the ankle. It is expected that training tasks that successfully strengthen the ankle would elicit increased muscular activity. However, it is unknown how an individual's ankle strength will influence the muscle activity used during a given task. Twenty-six participants performed dynamic (shod, barefoot running) and static tasks (squat on ground, squat on ®Bosu Ball) believed to strengthen the muscles surrounding the ankle. Electromyographic signals of the tibialis anterior, peroneus longus, gastrocnemius lateralis (GL) and gastrocnemius medialis (GM) were recorded and analysed using a non-linearly scaled wavelet analysis. Participants were divided into a strong group and a weak group according to their isometric plantar-flexion torque. The weak group required more relative GL and GM muscle activity during each training task compared to the strong group. No difference was observed between shod and barefoot running. There was a significant effect of training task on muscle activation level for the weak group. Differences in ankle strength had a significant impact on muscle activation.

Increased Athletic Performance in Lighter Basketball Shoes: Shoe or Psychology Effect?

PURPOSE: To determine the effect of shoe mass on performance in basketball-specific movements and how this affects changes if an athlete is aware or not of the shoe's mass relative to other shoes. METHODS: In an experimental design, 22 male participants were assigned to 2 groups. In the "aware" group, differences in the mass of the shoes were disclosed, while participants in the other group were blinded to the mass of shoes. For both groups lateral shuffle-cut and vertical-jump performances were quantified in 3 different basketball-shoe conditions (light, 352 ± 18.4 g; medium, 510 ± 17 g; heavy, 637 ± 17.7 g). A mixed ANOVA compared mean shuffle-cut and vertical-jump performances across shoes and groups. For blinded participants, perceived shoe-weight ratings were collected and compared across shoe conditions using a Friedman 2-way ANOVA. RESULTS: In the aware group, performance in the light shoes was significantly increased by 2% (vertical jump 2%, P < .001; shuffle cut 2.1%, P < .001) compared with the heavy shoes. In the blind group, participants were unable to perceive the shoe-weight variation between conditions, and there were no significant differences in vertical-jump and shuffle-cut performance across shoes. CONCLUSIONS: Differences in performance of the aware participants were most likely due to psychological effects such as positive and negative expectancies toward the light and heavy shoes, respectively. These results underline the importance for coaches and shoe manufacturers to communicate the performance-enhancing benefits of products or other interventions to athletes to optimize their performance outcome.

An on-ice measurement approach to analyse the biomechanics of ice hockey skating.

Skating is a fundamental movement in ice hockey; however little research has been conducted within the field of hockey skating biomechanics due to the difficulties of on-ice data collection. In this study a novel on-ice measurement approach was tested for reliability, and subsequently implemented to investigate the forward skating technique, as well as technique differences across skill levels. Nine high caliber (High) and nine low caliber (Low) hockey players performed 30 m forward skating trials. A 3D accelerometer was mounted to the right skate for the purpose of stride detection, with the 2nd and 6th strides defined as acceleration and steady-state, respectively. The activity of five lower extremity muscles was recorded using surface electromyography. Biaxial electro-goniometers were used to quantify hip and knee angles, and in-skate plantar force was measured using instrumented insoles. Reliability was assessed with the coefficient of multiple correlation, which demonstrated moderate (r>0.65) to excellent (r>0.95) scores across selected measured variables. Greater plantar-flexor muscle activity and hip extension were evident during acceleration strides, while steady state strides exhibited greater knee extensor activity and hip abduction range of motion (p<0.05). High caliber exhibited greater hip range of motion and forefoot force application (p<0.05). The successful implementation of this on-ice mobile measurement approach offers potential for athlete monitoring, biofeedback and training advice.