In this study, kinematic and kinetic measurements were combined to assess the effects of removing the stiff shaft from a ski boot. It was hypothesized that joint flexion at the ankle, knee and hip increase and reduce joint loading specifically at the knee. A previously developed force sensor was combined with a high-speed camera system for data collection of 6 degrees of freedom ground reaction forces and three-dimensional marker data in the field on a wave slope. The collected data were used as input to a musculoskeletal model for the estimation of joint kinematics and joint moments and contact forces in the ankle and knee. The force sensor, which was previously used for skiing, had experienced wear and tear and was thus prone to breakage. As a result, joint loading could only be analyzed for two skiers. These two skiers did not use the added range of ankle flexion to its full extent, but showed substantial reductions in joint moments and joint contact forces (e.g. knee compression force from 85 to 57 N/kg). Only one of the five experienced skiers tested was able to adopt the anticipated movement pattern by substantially increased maximum ankle joint flexion angle (from 10° to 37°) and knee joint flexion angle (from 93° to 105°) and the respective ranges of motion when skiing through a wave course. The study provides information on possible individual adaptations to ski boot modifications. The mechanical construction of the force sensor will need to be modified to withstand the high forces expected during freestyle skiing. The study also supports the future use of this measurement setup for comprehensive studies in snow sports, provided that a sufficient training period is given.

Purpose Jumping is popular in the sport of snowboarding. Epidemiological research has shown an increased risk of injury associated with this activity. Falls are common when jumping and although there is a logical connection between falling and injury occurrence, thus far little attention has been given to factors involved in the jumping-fall relationship. The current study aimed to add to the current knowledge base by identifying predictors of falling during intentional snowboard jumping within terrain park facilities. Methods Seven hundred and four jumps were video recorded and qualitatively coded using a custom template of predetermined parameters related to manoeuvre choice, landing technique and jump success. Results Falling was common within the sample population at a rate of one fall for every five jump attempts. Landings made on the flat or knuckle of the snow jump as well as incorrect board positioning at landing were found to be significant predictors of falling. Additionally the choice of manoeuvre was found to influence the risk of falls, with spinning jumps associated with a greater fall risk when compared to non spinning jumps. No clear relationship was identified between jump length measures and falling risk. Conclusion It is likely that jumping will remain popular in snowboarding and thus research efforts should focus on minimising the risk of injury associated with this skill. Reducing the overall incidence of falling, identified in the current study to be high, is a potential area for improvement. The potential for fall risk reduction through technique and decision making changes provides justification for further research in this area.

Snowboard jump landings represent an important topic of study within the area of sports biomechanics. This is due to the high risk nature of this activity and the potential to modify this risk through equipment design and skill development. This paper presents a summary of a comprehensive series of experiments designed to quantify landing biomechanics and the influence of external factors on the measures taken. Data were collected on-snow from participants performing straight aerials over table top snow jumps. Ground reaction force as well as joint kinematics and kinetics were found to be sensitive to boot wear, binding angle and jump dimension changes. The data collected form a base on which equipment design and injury prevention strategies may be developed.

In the biomechanical literature only a few studies are available focusing on the determination of joint loading within the lower extremities in snowboarding. These studies are limited to analysis in a restricted capture volume due to the use of optical video-based systems. To overcome this restriction the aim of the present study was to develop a method to determine net joint moments within the lower extremities in snowboarding for complete measurement runs. An experienced snowboarder performed several runs equipped with two custom-made force plates as well as a full-body inertial measurement system. A rigid, multi-segment model was developed to describe the motion and loads within the lower extremities. This model is based on an existing lower-body model and designed to be run by the OpenSim software package. Measured kinetic and kinematic data were imported into the OpenSim program and inverse dynamic calculations were performed. The results illustrate the potential of the developed method for the determination of joint loadings within the lower extremities for complete measurement runs in a real snowboarding environment. The calculated net joint moments of force are reasonable in comparison to the data presented in the literature. A good reliability of the method seems to be indicated by the low data variation between different turns. Due to the unknown accuracy of this method the application for inter-individual studies as well as studies of injury mechanisms may be limited. For intra-individual studies comparing different snowboarding techniques as well as different snowboard equipment the method seems to be beneficial. The validity of the method needs to be studied further.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of using a force measurement device on riding technique in mogul skiing. A mock-up version of such a device was positioned between ski boot and binding. Data on three-dimensional kinematics and perception were collected for eight subjects skiing down a mogul course. Parameters analysed were knee angle, side and forward lean of the trunk and hip, and the path of the body's centre of mass. A perception questionnaire was used on selective aspects to assess the skiers' perception of the performances. Perception ratings showed no significant detrimental effects. All assessed components showed a trend of improvement from the first to last run, thus suggesting familiarisation was achieved. Kinematic analysis revealed that no significant alterations occurred. In conclusion, it is intended to utilise a functional force plate similar to the one presented by Kiefmann et al. (2006) for future studies in freestyle skiing.

Biomechanical studies on fast bowling in Cricket reveal that the players experience substantial ground reaction forces during the delivery stride, with peak loads of up to 6 BW in vertical and 4 BW in horizontal direction ( Hurrion, 1999 Hurrion, P., 1999. In: Proceedings of the 1st World Congress of Science and Medicine in Cricket, pp. 40–42. Google Scholar ). Our own unpublished results ranged up to 8.5 and 4.8 BW, respectively. Currently, only a very limited range of specialized bowling boots are available on the market. No information exists about the effect of specific structural changes to shoe geometry affect mechanical and perception. The investigation of such modifications will provide baseline data which can be used by shoe manufacturers to improve the existing bowling footwear.

A biomechanical analysis of snowboard jump landings is yet to be published. The purpose of this work was to develop a protocol to allow the collection of meaningful data in a real snowboarding environment. A video calibration technique was developed to provide superior measurement accuracy over a standard central cube calibration. The accuracy of a snowboard mounted force plate was assessed under various loading conditions. It was concluded that its performance was satisfactory and comparable to previous designs of a similar nature. Once the test protocol was finalised, data were collected from three experienced snowboarders performing jumps. The loads applied at the lead foot were found to be of high magnitude. Based on previous cadaver research, these high loads coupled with the kinematic data revealed a potential for ankle injury during snowboard landing events.