• English
    • Welsh
  • English 
    • English
    • Welsh
  • Login
Search DSpace:
  • Home
  • Research at Cardiff Met
  • Library Services
  • Contact Us
View item 
  • DSpace home
  • Theses
  • PhD theses \ Traethodau PhD
  • View item
  • DSpace home
  • Theses
  • PhD theses \ Traethodau PhD
  • View item
JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

Biomechanics of technique selection in womens' artistic gymnastics

Thumbnail
View/open
MManning_PhD Thesis with Amendments.pdf (5.025Mb)
Author
Manning, Michelle Louise
Date
2015
Type
Thesis
Publisher
Cardiff Metropolitan University
Metadata
Show full item record
Abstract
Technique selection is fundamental to Women’s Artistic Gymnastics with rapidly evolving difficulty and complexity; a result of changes in the scoring system and apparatus design. The aim of this research was to increase knowledge and understanding of the biomechanics underpinning female longswing techniques to determine effective technique selection. Five progressive themes addressed this aim; contemporary trend analysis, biomechanical conceptual approach, method validation, biomechanical musculoskeletal approach and biomechanical energetic approach. Elite competition provided the basis to the thesis with a strong ecologically valid trend analysis reporting the straddle Tkachev as the most frequently performed release skill preceded by three distinct longswing techniques; arch, straddle, pike. Quantifying each technique through a biomechanical conceptual approach enumerated differences observed and examined their influence on key release parameters. Significant differences (p≤0.05) were reported in the initiation and joint angular kinematics within the functional phases; however not for release parameters. Further examination into the joint kinetics and energetic demands of the gymnast were required to explain technique selection. Non-invasive methods of joint kinetic data collection are challenging within the elite competitive environment; therefore indirect methods were validated to provide confidence in the subsequent musculoskeletal approach. Inverse dynamic estimations were most sensitive to kinematic inputs with field versus lab comparisons highlighting systematic differences in joint moments (0.8%RMSD in consistency). Joint kinetics provided new knowledge of the underlying biomechanics of varying techniques, specifically greater shoulder joint moments and hip joint powers during the pike longswing. Examining gymnast energetic contribution to the total gymnast-high-bar energy system developed a novel effectiveness score highlighting the potential energy excess available to the arch (30%) and straddle (2%) techniques, indicating the potential to develop more complex versions of skills. This research provides coaches and scientists with specific physical preparation requirements for varying longswing techniques and insight into the need for customised technique selection.
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/10369/7568
Description
PhD Thesis
Collections
  • PhD theses \ Traethodau PhD [469]

Related items

Showing items related by title, author, subject and abstract.

  • Thumbnail

    Injury risk in technique selection: influence of hand position in the back handspring. 

    Burton, Sophie (Cardiff Metropolitan University, 2015)
    The back handspring is a fundamental skill for female artistic gymnasts. Wrist injuries from tumbling movements are common in recreational and elite gymnasts (Farana et al., 2015). Coaches often face the challenge of ...
  • Thumbnail

    Influence of the vaulting table on the handspring front somersault 

    Irwin, Gareth; Kerwin, David G. (2009)
    The traditional “horse” was replaced by a new vaulting “table” in artistic gymnastics competitions in 2001.The aim of this study was to determine whether the table led to a change in vaulting technique. This was achieved ...
  • Thumbnail

    The influence of hand positions on biomechanical injury risk factors at the wrist joint during the round-off skills in female gymnastics 

    Farana, Roman; Jandacka, Daniel; Uchytil, Jaroslav; Zahradnik, David; Irwin, Gareth (Taylor & Francis, 2016-03-11)
    The aim of this study was to examine the biomechanical injury risk factors at the wrist, including joint kinetics, kinematics and stiffness in the first and second contact limb for parallel and T-shape round-off (RO) ...

Browse

DSpace at Cardiff MetCommunities & CollectionsBy issue dateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis collectionBy issue dateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

My Account

Login

Statistics

Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

DSpace software copyright © 2002-2015  DuraSpace
Contact us | Send feedback | Administrator