Elbow joint variability for different hand positions of the round off in gymnastics

Upper limb biomechanics and dynamics of a core skill on floor exercise in female gymnastics

This study aimed to increase understanding of the biomechanics and dynamics of the upper limbs during the contact phase of the round-off (RO) performed using three techniques. Twenty female gymnasts performed six successful RO trials in each condition: parallel, T-shape and reverse. Kinetic and kinematic data were collected for each trial. All analyses focused on the contact phase for each hand. Continuous joint profiles examined the dynamics of these tasks as well as the kinetic sequencing. In each case, joint angles, angular velocity, moments and powers at the wrist and elbow joint were reported. Difference between the contact phases of the techniques was examined using a one-way ANOVA SPM. The T-shape technique demonstrated negative power at the wrist during contact; however, the elbow joint compensated with a significantly greater positive power generation during the propulsive phase, suggesting a more effective technique compared to the reduced powers of the reverse and parallel. The order of the peak joint powers during the contact phase, the reverse technique, demonstrated a proximal to distal sequence, in contrast to the distal to proximal for the other techniques. These findings highlight the task-specific coordinative structures during this closed chained action.

Current issues and future directions in gymnastics research: biomechanics, motor control and coaching interface

The sport of gymnastics is undergoing a global examination of its culture and the relationship between the gymnast, coach and environment is a central focus. The aim of this review is to explore biomechanics and motor control research in skill development and technique selection in artistic gymnastics with a focus on the underlying concepts and scientific principles that allow performance enhancement, skill development and injury risk reduction. The current review examines peer reviewed papers from 2000 onwards, with a focus on contemporary approaches in the field of gymnastics research, and highlights several key directions for future gymnastics research. Based on our review and the integration of the models of Newell (1986) and Irwin et al. (2005), we recommend that future gymnastics research should embrace at the very least a multidisciplinary approach and aim for an interdisciplinary paradigm.

Overuse Elbow Injuries in Youth Gymnasts

BACKGROUND

Gymnastics is a unique sport that places significant loads across the growing elbow, resulting in unique overuse injuries, some of which are poorly described in the current literature.

PURPOSE

To provide a comprehensive review of the unique overuse elbow injuries seen in youth gymnasts and to provide an up-to-date synthesis of the available literature and clinical expertise guiding treatment decisions in this population.

STUDY DESIGN

Narrative review.

METHODS

A review of the PubMed database was performed to include all studies describing elbow biomechanics during gymnastics, clinical entities of the elbow in gymnasts, and outcomes of operative and/or nonoperative treatment of elbow pathology in gymnasts.

RESULTS

Participation in gymnastics among youth athletes is high, being the sixth most common sport in children. Early specialization is the norm in this sport, and gymnastics also has the highest number of participation hours of all youth sports. As a result, unique overuse elbow injuries are common, primarily on the lateral side of the elbow. Beyond common diagnoses of radiocapitellar plica and osteochondritis dissecans of the capitellum, we describe a pathology unique to gymnasts involving stress fracture of the radial head. Additionally, we synthesized our clinical experience and expertise in gymnastics to provide a sport-specific rehabilitation program that can be used by providers treating surgical and nonsurgical conditions of the elbow and wishing to provide detailed activity instructions to their athletes.

CONCLUSION

Overuse injuries of the elbow are common in gymnastics and include osteochondritis dissecans of the capitellum, radiocapitellar plica syndrome, and newly described radial head stress fractures. A thorough understanding of the psychological, cultural, and biomechanical aspects of gymnastics are necessary to care for these athletes.

Isolated complete ulnar collateral ligament tear of the elbow in a gymnast: does it need surgery?

Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) tears can occur from trauma or chronic overuse, and the treatment depends on the type of sport the patient plays and the severity of symptoms. Overuse UCL injuries are most commonly due to micro-trauma in overhead athletes such as baseball players, softball players, and tennis players. Acute complete UCL tears in athletes due to trauma are less common but generally operative treatment is recommended. In gymnastics, elbow dislocations are more common than isolated UCL injuries, and there is sparse literature on the success of non-operative treatment of isolated UCL injuries in this group of athletes. In this case report, we report a high-level competitive gymnast with an UCL tear and a partial tear of the forearm flexor mass, which was confirmed by a thorough careful physical examination and magnetic resonance imaging. The patient was treated non-operatively and successfully returned to gymnastics without symptoms. This case supports the suggestion that UCL tears of the elbow can be treated successfully in some gymnasts without surgery, and that treatment should be individualized in this group of athletes.

The application of inertial measurement units and functional principal component analysis to evaluate movement in the forward 3½ pike somersault springboard dive

Based on technological and analytical advances, the capability to more accurately and finitely examine biomechanical and skill characteristics of movement has improved. The purpose of this study was to use Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) and Functional Principal Components Analysis (fPCA) to examine the role of movement variability (assessed via angular velocity), on 2 divers (1 international level; 1 national) performing the forward 3½ pike somersault dive. Analysis of angular velocity curves during ive-flight identified 5 fPCs, accounting for 96.5% of movement variability. The national diver's scatter plots and standard deviation of fPC scores illustrated larger magnitudes of angular velocity variability across dive flight. For fPC1 and fPC3, magnitudes of SD variability were 282.6 and 201.5, respectively. The international diver illustrated more consistent angular velocity profiles, with clustering of fPCs scores (e.g., fPC1 & 3 = SD's of 75.2 & 68.0). To account for lower variability in the international diver, the ability to better coordinate movement sequences and functionally utilise feedback in response to initiation of the somersault position is highlighted. Overall, findings highlight how both IMUs and fPCA can more holistically and finitely examine the biomechanical and skill characteristics of movement sequences with the capability to inform athlete development.

Investigation of Perceptual-Motor Behavior Across the Expert Athlete to Disabled Patient Skill Continuum can Advance Theory and Practical Application

A framework is presented of how theoretical predictions can be tested across the expert athlete to disabled patient skill continuum. Common-coding theory is used as the exemplar to discuss sensory and motor system contributions to perceptual-motor behavior. Behavioral and neural studies investigating expert athletes and patients recovering from cerebral stroke are reviewed. They provide evidence of bi-directional contributions of visual and motor systems to perceptual-motor behavior. Majority of this research is focused on perceptual-motor performance or learning, with less on transfer. The field is ripe for research designed to test theoretical predictions across the expert athlete to disabled patient skill continuum. Our view has implications for theory and practice in sports science, physical education, and rehabilitation.

Technique Selection 'the Coaches Challenge' Influencing Injury Risk During the First Contact Hand of the Round off Skill in Female Gymnastics

The importance of technique selection on elbow injury risk has been identified for the key round off skill in female gymnastics, with a focus on the second contact limb. The aim of this study was to shift the focus to the first contact limb and investigate the biomechanical injury risk during parallel and T-shape round-off (RO) techniques. Seven international-level female gymnasts performed 10 trials of the RO to back-handspring with parallel and T-shape hand positions. Synchronized kinematic (3D motion analysis system; 247 Hz) and kinetic (two force plates; 1235 Hz) data were collected for each trial. The t-test with effect size statistics determined differences between the two techniques. No significant differences were found for vertical, anterior posterior and resultant ground reaction force, elbow joint kinematics and kinetics. Specifically, the results highlighted that change in technique in RO skills did not influence first contact limb elbow joint mechanics and therefore, injury risk. The findings of the present study suggest the injury potential of this skill is focused on the second limb during the parallel technique of this fundamental gymnastic skill.

Suppression of Strong Background Interference on E-Nose Sensors in an Open Country Environment

The feature extraction technique for an electronic nose (e-nose) applied in tobacco smell detection in an open country/outdoor environment with periodic background strong interference is studied in this paper. Principal component analysis (PCA), Independent component analysis (ICA), re-filtering and a priori knowledge are combined to separate and suppress background interference on the e-nose. By the coefficient of multiple correlation (CMC), it can be verified that a better separation of environmental temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure variation related background interference factors can be obtained with ICA. By re-filtering according to the on-site interference characteristics a composite smell curve was obtained which is more related to true smell information based on the tobacco curer’s experience.