Digital Commons Network^™

Targeted Changes In Footwear Upper Stretch Improves Running Performance And Footwear Fit, Eric C. Honert, Kate Harrison, Bethany Kilpatrick, Milena Singletary, Adam R. Luftglass, Daniel Feeney

ISBS Proceedings Archive

The feet are completely enclosed by shoes when performing athletic activities. However, footwear uppers are often overlooked when studying running performance. We sought to understand how targeted changes in the upper stiffness can influence running centre-of-mass (COM) work and footwear fit, via plantar pressure, with ten participants running at 3 m/s. We also investigated the relationship between peak toe pressure and COM work. We found that having a stretchy material over the cuneiforms with a stiffer material across the metatarsals and talus improved running performance by reducing the amount of COM work to run at a set speed. This configuration …

Hip Moment Increases While Knee And Ankle Moments Remain Constant During Squats With Increasing Loads In Elite Powerlifters, Alexander Pürzel, Paul Kaufmann, Willi Koller, David Deimel, Arnold Baca, Hans Kainz

ISBS Proceedings Archive

This study aimed to investigate compensation strategies among elite powerlifters under high-load conditions. 31 top-ranked powerlifters from the Austrian team executed competition-style squats at 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, and 90% of their estimated 1-repetition-maximum (F_max). Employing musculoskeletal modelling, we conducted a biomechanical analysis (i.e. joints moments calculated via inverse dynamics) to understand the alterations in squatting mechanics across various loads. Our findings revealed a consistent relative load shift from the knee to the hip joint with increasing intensity. The knee and ankle joint moments remained constant from 70% to 90% F_max, underscoring the dominant role of …

Effects Of Vision And Multiple Cognitive Tasks On Pre-Landing And Early Landing Mechanics Associated With Acl Loading, Boyi Dai, Yu Song, Peyton Hatcher, Raychl Fairbanks, Jefferson Danso, Ling Li

ISBS Proceedings Archive

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of vision and 1 or 2 cognitive tasks on lower extremity biomechanics associated with ACL loading variables (knee flexion angles, increased impact forces, and knee extension moments) during single-leg drop landing tasks. Thirty-four participants performed landing tasks with or without vision and with or without 1-2 cognitive tasks. The cognitive tasks included counting backward and/or recalling the number of beeping tones. The results indicated counting backward significantly decreased knee angles, and a lack of vision could increase impact forces. However, the combination of two cognitive tasks did not result in …

Profiling Of Spin Bowlers With Biomechanical Parameters Derived From A Smart Cricket Ball, Franz Konstantin Fuss, Batdelger Doljin, Rene E. D. Ferdinands

ISBS Proceedings Archive

This paper introduces a novel approach to advanced profiling by utilising a smart cricket ball (gyro sensor at its centre). It identifies the type of delivery and determines various physical and skill performance parameters. Five spin bowlers (finger and wrist spinners) were profiled using this new method. Four bowlers executed the correct delivery (side and topside spin), while one bowler unintentionally bowled top/topside-spin instead of side-spin. The study measured the ability to convert torque (T) into spin rate (ω) using the ratio of spin rate per unit torque (ω/T [rps/N/m]), which ranged from …

Effects Of Dynamic Knee Valgus Alignment On Ground Reaction Force And Knee Moment During Landing, Tzu-Lin Wong Dr., Wei-Ching Chang

ISBS Proceedings Archive

This study examined the impact of dynamic knee valgus alignments on vertical ground reaction force(vGRF) and knee moment in 33 male collegiate athletes during a single-leg vertical jump from a 30-cm box. Categorized into valgus (n=12), neutral (n=8), and varus (n=13) groups based on knee angular displacement during landing, participants were analyzed 100 milliseconds immediately after initial ground contact. Normalized results indicate that the varus group demonstrated higher peak vGRF and maximum knee moment compared to the valgus and neutral groups. No significant differences were found in parameters like time to peak vGRF, loading rate, and peak hip moment. Our …

The Trade-Off Between Cumulative Joint Loading And Cost Of Transport When Altering Anterior Trunk Lean Angle In Running, Luca Braun, Patrick Mai, Markus Hipper, Yannick Denis, Bastian Anedda, Janina Helwig, Dominic Gehring, Steffen Willwacher

ISBS Proceedings Archive

The study aimed to establish dose-response relationships between systematically altered anterior trunk leaning (ATL) and lower extremity cumulative joint loading (angular impulse x number of strides) as well as cost of transport (COT) in distance running. Twenty-eight recreational runners underwent a series of six treadmill runs (2.5 m/s) with five predefined ATL conditions (from -4° extension to 28° flexion) and one self-selected ATL condition for five minutes with 3D motion capture and spirometry. Increasing ATL systematically decreased cumulative knee joint loading and increased cumulative hip joint loading in all conditions. However, running outside the preferred running style increased COT. Designing …

Comparing Postural Control In Adolescents (11-14 Years) Involved/Not Involved In Afterschool Sports Activities: A Pilot Study, Ken Pitetti, Edwin M. Loovis, Ruth A. Miller

ISBS Proceedings Archive

This study characterized postural control (PC) of adolescents who were involved (A=athletes) or not involved (NA=non-athletes) in after-school sport activities. PC was determined by the median velocity (MVelocity, mm/sec) of the center-of-pressure (COP) on a force plate when removing vision (eyes closed) and manipulating somatosensation (standing on firm or foam surface) while in two-foot, tandem, and one-foot stances (12 stances). Fifty-one youth, 22 A (age 12.1±0.9 yrs, 10 females) and 29 NA (age 12.3±0.7 yrs, 10 females) performed two, 30-sec trials in all 12 stances, with the best trial used for data analysis. The Mann-Whitney test revealed lower MVelocity (i.e., …

Influence Of Inertial Measurement Unit Placement On Knee Flexion Angle Measurement During Cycling, Tjorven Schnack, Arnold Baca, Philipp Neumeister

ISBS Proceedings Archive

Inertial measurement units (IMUs) enable measurements of joint kinematics during sports in the field. The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of IMUs for measuring the knee flexion angle during cycling. To expand the limited research on optimal placement of IMUs on body segments, three different IMU placement setups were tested. Joint angles were calculated from the IMU orientations via OpenSim. Kinematics were captured from six experienced cyclists and compared to optical motion capture. Apart from an amplitude offset between the angle courses measured by IMUs and optical motion capture, no significant differences were observed between measurement …

Teaching Newton’S Laws Of Motion In Biomechanics Using Game-Based Pedagogy For High School Teachers’ Professional Development, Stuart A. Evans Dr, Charlene Willis Dr

ISBS Proceedings Archive

It is important to consider teachers’ professional development (PD) when they are tasked with teaching Newton’s Law of motion in biomechanics to high school students for the first time. Physical education (PE) teachers regularly use the Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) pedagogy to teach physical activity to students. TGfU is a pedagogical model which originated in the 1980s with the main objective of promoting game-based learning in physical activity and sport. However, research involving if the TGfU pedagogy can be used to impart practical and theoretical knowledge to teachers when teaching Newton’s Laws of Motion in biomechanics is limited. The …

The Impact Of Fresh And Used Ankle Taping On Lower Extremity Biomechanics During Sports Specific Movements, Burkay Utku, Gloria Baehr, Hannah Knoke, Patrick Mai, Francesca Paganini, Markus Hipper, Luca Braun, Yannick Denis, Janina Helwig, Steffen Willwacher

ISBS Proceedings Archive

This study aimed to investigate the effects of ankle taping on lower extremity joint biomechanics. Kinetic and kinematic data were collected from 25 participants using 3D motion capturing and force platforms without shoes for running (RUN), drop jumping (DJ), and 180° change of direction (COD), in tape applied fresh (TF) and tape after sports-specific use (TU) conditions compared to a barefoot (BF) baseline. Taping conditions decreased peak ankle excursions and moments for the frontal and sagittal planes for some of the sports-specific movements. However, TF did not significantly alter the knee and hip moments in the frontal and sagittal planes. …

Agreement Between A Smartphone-Based Markerless Motion Capture Application (Aiscout ®) And Conventional Athletic Assessment, Simon Augustus, James Brouner, Chris Howe, Anna Kosciuk, Richard Felton-Thomas

ISBS Proceedings Archive

There is a need to develop accessible 3D motion analysis. The aim of this study was to determine absolute and relative agreement between aiScout^®, a smartphone application that infers 3D pose from 2D video, and conventional methods of assessing athletic performance. Sixteen athletes (29.7 ± 9.0 yrs, 1.75 ± 0.10 m, 75.5 ± 15.8 kg) completed six performance tests that were evaluated by aiScout^® and conventional methods. 10m sprint times, press-ups, lateral rebound jumps, and 5-10-5 football dribble times showed good to excellent absolute (ICC and CCC > 0.8 threshold) and relative agreement (ICC and Kendall’s W > 0.8 …

The Effect Of Footwear Fit On Movement Complexity In Trail Running, Kathryn Harrison, Eric C. Honert, Daniel Feeney

ISBS Proceedings Archive

In trail running athletes must adapt their movement patterns to navigate obstacles in their path. Sample entropy is a method to evaluate an athlete’s flexibility to alter their movement from stride to stride. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of running speed, duration, terrain, sex, and footwear on movement complexity in trail runners. Thirty trail runners (15 female) ran a trail loop in two shoes: a lace shoe and a wrap shoe. We used linear mixed effects models to examine the effects of independent variables on sample entropy of foot accelerations. More technical terrain, faster running …

An Accuracy-Integrated Metric For Evaluating Throwing Performance, Billy Lozowski, Gretchen D. Oliver

ISBS Proceedings Archive

The purpose of this study was to present a proof-of-concept for a novel Accuracy-Integrated Metric (AIM) to evaluate throwing performance. Ball velocity, displacement from target, and throw distance data were simulated for ten throws, and an AIM score calculated for each. Throws were ranked per conventional evaluation methods (by ball velocity), and by AIM score. When ranked on ball velocity, throw 7 ranked highest (36.0 m.s^-1); however, it scored lowest with AIM (10.2) owing to a large displacement value. Discrepancies in these rankings highlight the limitations of relying solely on one aspect of performance when evaluating throwing. By …

Effects Of Freediving Fin Parameters On Ankle Stress Using 3dive (Free Diving Valgus Experiment) Rig, Pauline Algourdin, Yoann Joliff, Benjamin Ostre

ISBS Proceedings Archive

The aim was to investigate the impact of freediving fin parameter on the diver for two different foot morphologies, one without deformation and other with a hallux valgus. It proposes to identify the parameters that have the greatest influence on the stresses applied to the ankle. A complete experimental design with 4 factors was set up. The factors studied were the length of the fin, the stiffness, the water channelling system and the angle between the blade and the liner. A prosthetic foot was used to realise reproducible test in pool. It was fitted with strain gauge at the ankle. …

Velocity-Based Strength Training: Comparing Duration And Mean Velocity To Predict The Maximum Number Of Repetitions In A Set, Basil Achermann, Daniel Smith, Silvio Lorenzetti

ISBS Proceedings Archive

This study explores the relationships among various velocity parameters and the maximum number of repetitions in a set (XRM). Specifically, the predictive power of the concentric phase duration (Tconc) and other velocity parameters, such as the peak velocity, are examined against the conventional average concentric velocity (ACV) approach. Using a preliminary dataset, various models are developed in this study to predict the maximum number of repetitions performed in a set. The findings indicate that Tconc significantly predicts repetitions with the adjusted model (R²: 0.37, standard error of estimate (SEE): 2.98), outperforming the ACV model (R²: 0.14, SEE: 3.46). However, because …

Knee And Trunk Coordination Patterns In The Snatch: A Pilot Study On The Influence Of Load And Phase, Nayun Ahn, Kristof Kipp

ISBS Proceedings Archive

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of load on trunk and knee coordination during different phases of the snatch. Four elite weightlifters performed the snatch from submaximal to maximal loads (~85-100%), while video data were collected with eight cameras. The video data were processed with markerless motion capture software, and trunk and knee joint angles were calculated. Trunk-knee coupling angles were calculated via vector coding analysis. During the pull phase, an increase in the frequency count of trunk-knee coordination patterns in response to an increase in load, indicated that the pull phase lengthened as the loads …

Isbs 2024 Conference Proceedings Title And Foreward, Jana Holder, Isabella Fessl, Eric Harbour, Hermann Schwameder

ISBS Proceedings Archive

The ISBS is an international society totally dedicated to biomechanics in sports, whose primary purposes are:

• To provide a forum for the exchange of ideas for sports biomechanics researchers, coaches and teachers.
• To bridge the gap between researchers and practitioners.
• To gather and disseminate information and materials on biomechanics in sports.

Papers underwent a double blinded review process. Each paper in these proceedings has been reviewed by at least two members of the scientific committee.

From Ghitterns To Harps: How Tolkien’S Music Became Generic, Alexander Retakh

Journal of Tolkien Research

When music is discussed in Tolkien studies, the primary focus is the songs and, typically, their non-musical content. However, appearances of instrumental music and its performance are often critical to the narrative. This talk focuses on Tolkien’s construction and use of music. Its descriptions were growing more economical as he developed as a writer and his musical references became simpler.

Tolkien has often been accused of being almost illiterate musically, yet a more careful reading of his letters shows that he merely saw himself as a musical amateur. In Oxford he could not avoid learning about the Early Music movement, …

Volume 63-2 Complete Issue, Casey D. Allen

The Geographical Bulletin

Volume 63-2 Complete Issue

Transforming The Applied Learning Experience Through Interdisciplinary Fieldwork, Dawn M. Drake, Ashley Elias, Carissa Ganong, Michael L. Grantham, Mark S. Mills

The Geographical Bulletin

This paper introduces an interdisciplinary field research project undertaken by faculty at Missouri Western State University in an effort to improve student learning outcomes and enrich student experience. The project uses a single ecosystem, the nine human-built ponds on the campus, and combines five different faculty members’ areas of research across ecology, microbiology, and geography to immerse students in an interactive applied learning opportunity that not only helps them develop research skills, but also learn to present their research to a variety of audiences. The paper reviews the nature of the project, the conditions that allowed the project to emerge, …

Reflections On Fieldwork In Romania: Subjectivities, Risks, Benefits, And Ethics, Georgeta Stoian Connor

The Geographical Bulletin

Romania, one of the largest and most ruralized Eastern European countries, has a very complex agrarian history: from the traditional free communal villages and serfdom to the communist collective farms, followed by the agricultural alignment to the Common Agricultural Policy. Because the European Union (EU) has had a preconceived vision of what a modern agricultural landscape should look like, when this vision has been implemented within Romania’s agricultural landscape, it has produced deeply contradictory outcomes. In this context, by examining the archive records and information from extended fieldwork in Romania, this study investigates how Romania’s efforts to join the EU …

Left Behind In Lockdown: Covid-19 And The Denver Unhoused Community, Lucy Briggs

The Geographical Bulletin

The population experiencing homelessness in Denver, Colorado, increased by nearly 15% from 2018 to 2019. This trend, combined with the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic of 2020, led to a distinct crisis for unhoused communities. This research attempted to answer the question, “How has COVID-19 impacted the locational strategies and spatial patterns of the Denver unhoused population in relation to public spaces and resources in the city core?” More specifically, this research has three objectives: (1) To explore the impact of COVID-19 on the shelter availability in Denver, (2) to develop an understanding of COVID-19’s impact upon public restrooms in Denver, and …

Reflecting On Interdisciplinary Trends In Artificial Reef Design, Monitoring, And Assessment In The Us Southeast: Insight From Recent Developments And Hope In The Restoring Resilient Reefs Act, Johnathan D. Johnson, Clayton J. Whitesides

The Geographical Bulletin

Although artificial reefs (Figs. 1 and 2) have long been the focus of biological and ecological research, “the economics and social impact of artificial reefs … have not been carefully examined” (Bohnsack and Sutherland 1985, 11). Since the time of that statement in the mid-1980s, we are pleased to report that much research on the economics and social impacts of artificial reefs has been published in the academic literature (e.g., Sutton and Bushnell 2007, Whitmarsh et al. 2008, Stolk, Markwell, and Jenkins 2009, and Islam et al. 2014).

An Overview Of Environmental Themes In The Video Game Industry, Michael A. Davis

The Geographical Bulletin

Video games of the early 1990s have an appreciable depth of environmental tones that seem prophetic by today’s standards as climate change and environmental degradation have emerged as significant topics of scientific and geographic inquiry. The political and cultural environment of the late 1980s and early 1990s played a significant role in the development of environmentally-minded video games. Since the 20th century, the depiction of these environmental themes have changed with a greater understanding of environmental science literature, have incorporated educational qualities to game play, and have migrated from large video game developers (e.g., Sega and Nintendo) to independent developers …

Front Matter And Editorial Note, Casey D. Allen

The Geographical Bulletin

Volume 63 Issue 2 Front Matter including Editorial Note

Defining Humanity In The Popular Imagination: The Neanderthal And The Early Modern Human In H.G. Wells And Yuval Noah Harari, Laurel Bayless

The Geographical Bulletin

Popular depictions of Neanderthals place them in a liminal position between the human and nonhuman. Examination of how such depictions have changed over time reveals evolving and enduring ideas about humanity and nature. Descriptions of Neanderthals and the prehistoric anatomically modern humans who encountered them in Europe reveal the features their authors see as essential to humanity. Not only do authors project their contemporary ideas onto Neanderthals, but doing so but then naturalizes those ideas. H.G. Wells, one of the f irst popular writers to discuss Neanderthals, depicted Neanderthals as shambling, inhuman brutes, whereas he used colonial ideas about the …

Making Space For Yeast: Toward A Zymurpolitics, Walter W. Furness

The Geographical Bulletin

Geographic scholarship on craft brewing has characteristically fixated on place as a lens through which to understand and valuate ostensibly “local” beer, wherein fermentation acts as an alchemistic shorthand, transmuting far-flung ingredients into a product emphatically rooted in a particular location. However, yeast tends to receive little attention in this literature, even though it is a primary agent (alongside humans) in acting on raw materials to produce beer. Defying the notion of “hyperlocal,” yeast is frequently sourced from distant laboratories, though some breweries maintain their own cultures in-house. This paper draws on existing literature, observation, and interviews with brewers to …

Cover And Forewords, Casey D. Allen

The Geographical Bulletin

Volume 63 Issue 1 Cover and Forewords

From Mayberry To Merlot: Shifting Geographies Of Wine In The Yadkin Valley, North Carolina, Aron Massey

The Geographical Bulletin

The Yadkin Valley of North Carolina is in a period of transition. Tobacco has been the most important crop, and the tourism to the region focused on Mt. Airy, inspiration for the fictional town of Mayberry. Local officials are promoting wine tourism as a tactic to update these industries. Through qualitative fieldwork utilizing in-depth interviews with Yadkin Valley winemakers, tourism officials, business leaders, and a Baptist preacher, this project reveals the numerous geographies of wine evolving together as the industry grows in this region. The paper discusses the physical environment suitable for producing high-quality wines from European grape styles and …

Volume 63-1 Complete Issue, Casey D. Allen

The Geographical Bulletin

Volume 63-1 Complete Issue