A KINEMATIC ANALYSIS OF ADAPTED DISCUS DELIVERY

Abstract

Disability discus throwing events are segregated by gender and disability classification. Standing classifications use a similar rotational technique to able-bodied athletes. Kinematic research into able-bodied discus throwing found hip-shoulder separation and leg drive during the delivery phase had the greatest influence on release velocity, the most influential release parameter. The research aims were to examine the key kinematic variables (e.g. hip-shoulder separation) of elite level disability discus throwing and the effect of these variables on distance thrown. Two elite level disability discus throwers (Participant 1 was a F46, Participants 2 was aF42 classifications) and an elite able-bodied athlete (Participant 3) completed six throws. Trials were recorded using two time synchronised high speed video camera sampling at 200Hz. Fifteen discus-thrower system points (e.g. right shoulder joint centre) were tracked using video analysis and 3D Direct Linear Transformation. Analysis of joint angles showed that P1 and P3 have a very similar technique. P1 displayed a correlation of 0.98 between distance and vertical velocity contradicting previous research. P2 showed greater reliance on horizontal components of technique with a correlation of 0.95 between distance and arm-shoulder separation. This study provides some support for previous research which has suggested that at an elite level discus throwing technique may not be as influential as other variables on distance.