Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Many highly dynamic sporting activities are now quantitatively analyzed to optimize athletic performance and provide information required for equipment optimization. Water skiing (with its challenging environmental conditions) has to date received only minimal attention in this area. The objective of this study was to create an instrumentation system suitable for analyzing the biomechanics of slalom water skiing. An instrumentation system and methodology were designed and implemented to collect quantitative data for slalom water skiing at the advanced level. The chosen performance parameters of interest for slalom water skiing turns were skier velocity, ski acceleration, ski deceleration, ski roll and rope load. Four sensors were used to collect data to calculate the parameters of interest: a boat-based global positioning sensor unit, a skier-mounted global positioning system unit, axial load transducer mounted in the tow rope and a ski-mounted inertial measurement unit. A novel custom-fabricated and programmed wireless communication system was incorporated in the study to allow rapid data communication and acquisition. Results indicate that the instrumentation system developed for this study was successful in providing the data deemed necessary for the biomechanical analysis of slalom water skiing. The data provide a unique look into the complex three-dimensional biomechanics of slalom water skiing. This same quantitative data would be suitable for advanced ski equipment design, injury prevention and high-level athlete coaching of slalom skiers. It is also expected that the equipment developed for this study would be suitable for use at novice and intermediate levels of water skiing and with minor alternations could be applied to the analysis of other open-water sports.

Keywords

Inertial measurement unit global positioning system load transducer ski acceleration ski orientation rope load advanced skier

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

SGMA International. Sports participation in America (2003 Edition). SGMA International, 2003.

Pan American Games records, http://www.iwsf.com/panamnews/?page_id=27 (accessed April 2011).

Water Ski and Wakeboard Canada. Build the skills water ski technical manual. Ottawa, ON, Canada: Water Ski and Wakeboard Canada, 2011.

Marchal

. Become a champion. Advantage (Excellence in Engineering Simulation), vol. 6, issue 2, 2012, pp.6–8.

O’Donoghue

. Research methods for sports performance analysis. New York: Routledge, 2010.

Macken

. Water ski performance analysis method and apparatus. Patent 5 694 337, USA, 1997.

Silverberg

Gardiner

. Simulation of the mechanics of water-skier motion. Math Comput Simulat 1992; 34: 163–181.

Runciman

. Water skiing biomechanics: a study of intermediate skiers. Proc IMechE, Part P: J Sports Engineering and Technology 2011; 225(4): 231–240.

Bray-Miners

Runciman

Monteith

. Water skiing biomechanics: a study of advanced skiers. Proc IMechE, Part P: J Sports Engineering and Technology 2013; 227(2): 137–146.

10.

Witte

Wilson

. Accuracy of non-differential GPS for the determination of speed over ground. J Biomech 2004; 37(12): 1891–1898.

11.

Brodie

Walmsley

Page

. Fusion motion capture: a prototype system using inertial measurement units and GPS for the biomechanical analysis of ski racing. Sports Tech 2008; 1: 17–28.

12.

Wäegli

Skaloud

. Turning point: trajectory analysis for skiers. Inside GNSS, vol. 2, issue 2, 2007, pp.25–34.

13.

Wäegli

Meyer

Ducret

. Assessment of timing and performance based on trajectories from low-cost GPS/INS positioning. In: Science and skiing IV, 2009, pp.556–564. Oxford: Meyer & Meyer Sport.

14.

Broesch

Stranneby

Walker

. Digital signal processing: instant access. Burlington, MA: Elsevier, Inc., 2009.

15.

Bachman

. Inertial and magnetic tracking of limb segment orientation for inserting humans in synthetic environments. Doctoral Dissertation, Naval Postgraduate School, United States Navy, Monterey, CA, 2000.

16.

Bachman

Yun

McKinney

. Design and implementation of MARG sensors for 3-DOF orientation measurement of rigid bodies. In: Proceedings of the 2003 IEEE international conference on robotics & automation, Taipei, Taiwan, 14–19 September 2003. New York: IEEE.

17.

Luinge

Veltink

. Measuring orientation of human body segments using miniature gyroscopes and accelerometers. Med Biol Eng Comput 2005; 43: 273–282.

18.

LORD MicroStrain, Inc. 3DM-GX2^®: gyro enhanced orientation sensor, technical product overview, revision 13 July 2007.

19.

DiCaprio

Thomason

. An inexpensive strain gauge amplifier and signal conditioner for biological applications. J Biomech 1989; 22(2): 167–169.

20.

International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation. International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation 2011 tournament water ski rules, http://www.iwsf.com/rules/2011/2011WaterskiRulebook.pdf (accessed April 2011).

21.

LORD MicroStrain, Inc. 3DM-GX2^®: data communications protocol for Inertia-Link^® and 3DM-GX2^® , June 2009.

22.

Hostetler

Smith

. Characteristics of water skiing-related and wakeboarding-related injuries treated in emergency departments in the United States, 2001–2003. Am J Sport Med 2005; 33(7): 1065–1070.

Methods and instrumentation for the biomechanical analysis of slalom water skiing

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References