Human Sports Equipment Overview

Question 1

The 3 parts in a Human-Equipment Interaction Diagram?

Answer 1

Question 2

Running economy (RE)

Answer 2

• Energy demand for a given velocity of submaximal running
• Strong association between RE & distance running performance

Question 3

Why measure perception when designing sport equipment?

Answer 3

• Important that sport performers feel physically & psychologically comfortable with the sports equipment they use
• Significant influence on equipment selection
• Performance is being restricted by many governing bodies
• Brand loyalty
• Requires scientific study & systematic research

Question 4

Outcomes of perception studies

Answer 4

A greater understanding of what is important to the player
– Their likes and dislikes
– Customer needs and requirements
– Psychological influences on equipment selection
This can be used to
– Develop a product design specification
– Identify areas for design improvements
Evaluation of prototypes and existing products
– Comparison with competitors products
– Identify areas for design improvements

Question 5

Biomechanics

Answer 5

Application of mechanical principles to the human body in order to understand the mechanical influences on the musculoskeletal system

Question 6

Why measure biomechanics when designing sport equipment?

Answer 6

• Sport equipment is a mechanical system but becomes a biomechanical system once it interacts with the athlete
• Athlete will influence the underlying mechanics of that biomechanical system

Question 7

What are the Kinematic & Kinetic Variables? 5 joint 4 others

Answer 7

• Joint angles
• Joint velocities
• Joint accelerations
• Joint moments
• Joint power
• Muscle-tendon displacements
• Ground reaction force (GRF)
• Centre of pressure
• Muscle activity

Question 8

Outcomes of biomechanics studies

Answer 8

• A greater understanding of how a player/athlete moves when using equipment
  – Changes to their movement patterns
  – Changes to the forces they can produce
  – Identify patterns in responders and non responders
• This can be used to
  – Develop product design specification
  – Identify areas for design improvements
• Evaluation of prototypes and existing products
  – Comparison with competitors products
  – Identify areas for design improvements

Question 9

Klapskate or “Slapskate”

Answer 9

• Hinge joint allowed rotation of shoe relative to blade
• Performance improvements based on PB times
• 1998 Olympics (Nagano) first introduced
  – 1500m, 16 / 32 PB’d & WR was broken three times
• Theory - ↑ Ankle plantar flexion while blade on ice
• Slapskate improved by 6.2 ± 2.3% compared to normal skate improvements of 2.5 ± 1.6%

Question 10

Klapskate Push-off Biomechanics

Answer 10

• Similar push-off biomechanics between skates
• Klapskate - Force directed perpendicularly by generating knee extension & ankle plantar flexor torque
• Conventional: Knee has to flex to direct force perpendicular.
  Modifying Hinge Position Findings - Optimal position (based on total energy of push off phase) differed between skaters