Abstract
Objectives: This study investigated the relation of different previously reported preparatory strategies and musculo-skeletal loading during fast preplanned 90° cutting maneuvers (CM). The aim was to increase the understanding of the connection between whole body orientation, preparatory actions and the solution strategy to fulfil the requirements of a CM.
Methods: Three consecutive steps of anticipated 90° CMs were investigated in a 3D movement analysis setup. Pelvis orientation clustered the subjects in two groups, with minor and major preorientation. To understand the impact of body orientation on the specific movement strategy, joint angles, moments and energy as well as spatio-temporal parameters of the movement were analysed.
Results: Early rotation of the body was initiated by a small step width during braking resulting in a more constant path velocity of the centre of mass and less demands on the hip- and knee surrounding muscles. Minor pre-orientation required increased work of the hip muscles to decelerate, reaccelerate and in particular to rotate the body. This resulted in an increase of contact time. While pre-orientation in combination with fore-foot striking led to a strategy where energy absorption and generation is mainly generated by the ankle plantar flexors, less pre-orientation and rear-foot striking resulted in a knee- and hip dominant strategy.
Conclusion: Step width before transition strongly determined pre-orientation and overall body position. Both strategies fulfil the requirements of a CM but induce different demands regarding muscular capacities. Pelvis orientation and step width are easy-to-use assessment parameters in the practical field.
Methods: Three consecutive steps of anticipated 90° CMs were investigated in a 3D movement analysis setup. Pelvis orientation clustered the subjects in two groups, with minor and major preorientation. To understand the impact of body orientation on the specific movement strategy, joint angles, moments and energy as well as spatio-temporal parameters of the movement were analysed.
Results: Early rotation of the body was initiated by a small step width during braking resulting in a more constant path velocity of the centre of mass and less demands on the hip- and knee surrounding muscles. Minor pre-orientation required increased work of the hip muscles to decelerate, reaccelerate and in particular to rotate the body. This resulted in an increase of contact time. While pre-orientation in combination with fore-foot striking led to a strategy where energy absorption and generation is mainly generated by the ankle plantar flexors, less pre-orientation and rear-foot striking resulted in a knee- and hip dominant strategy.
Conclusion: Step width before transition strongly determined pre-orientation and overall body position. Both strategies fulfil the requirements of a CM but induce different demands regarding muscular capacities. Pelvis orientation and step width are easy-to-use assessment parameters in the practical field.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 202-210 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Human Movement Science |
| Volume | 62 |
| Issue number | October |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 2018 |
| Externally published | Yes |