Comfort assessment of running footwear: Does assessment type affect inter-session reliability?

Assessing comfort of running footwear reliably is challenging. The purpose of this study was to compare the intra-rater reliability between different assessment types, to calculate intra-individual reliability scores and to evaluate the effect of rater selection based on individual reliability scores on group level reliability. Three assessment types: ranking, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and Likert Scale (LS) were provided twice in six separate sessions among 30 participants, who assessed comfort of five shoes after treadmill running. Spearman's rho provided an evaluation of inter-session relative reliability and typical error as a measure of absolute reliability for each assessment type. Ranking (r?=?0.70, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.61–0.78) yielded the highest relative reliability for overall comfort, followed by VAS (r?=?0.67, 95% CI 0.56–0.75) and LS (r?=?0.63, 95% CI 0.52–0.72), with large-scale overlaps of CIs between assessment types. The same order of assessment types was found for the percentage of reliable raters (r?≥?0.7) with 60% in ranking scale, 47% in VAS and 37% in LS. Forming subgroups corresponding to the intra-individual reliability substantially increased group level reliabilities. Based on measures of relative reliability, an extreme reduction in resolution as provided by the ranking from pairwise comparisons seems to be a valuable tool in footwear comfort assessments if assessment time is of minor importance. No preference can be provided for the two investigated rating scales. Besides the assessment type, a selection of the best raters in additional reliability checks seems to be a prerequisite for further comfort-related studies.     

对韩国文献太极拳理论研究的计量学分析*

太极拳是我国首批非物质文化遗产,作为中国传统民族特色的文化形态,近年来也越来越受到世界各国人民的喜爱,在世界范围内影响广泛、传播迅速。通过对韩国学术界的太极拳文献进行计量学统计分析,着重分析了文献的发表时间、作者、发行单位、研究主题和研究方法,旨在研究太极拳在韩国的发展史和传播过程,从社会学、文化学、体育学、传播学等角度,探索太极拳在异国推广和传播的规律及有效的推广方法,以期太极拳在世界大舞台上发扬光大,将太极拳的正能量传播到世界的各个角落。     

The influence of water depth on kinematic and spatiotemporal gait parameters during aquatic treadmill walking

The purpose of this study was to investigate kinematic and spatiotemporal variables of aquatic treadmill walking at three different water depths. A total of 15 healthy individuals completed three two-minute walking trials at three different water depths. The aquatic treadmill walking was conducted at waist-depth, chest-depth and neck-depth, while a customised 3-D underwater motion analysis system captured their walking. Each participant’s self-selected walking speed at the waist level was used as a reference speed, which was applied to the remaining two test conditions. A repeated measures ANOVA showed statistically significant differences among the three walking conditions in stride length, cadence, peak hip extension, hip range of motion (ROM), peak ankle plantar flexion and ankle ROM (All p values < 0.05). The participants walked with increased stride length and decreased cadence during neck level as compared to waist and chest level. They also showed increased ankle ROM and decreased hip ROM as the water depth rose from waist and chest to the neck level. However, our study found no significant difference between waist and chest level water in all variables. Hydrodynamics, such as buoyancy and drag force, in response to changes in water depths, can affect gait patterns during aquatic treadmill walking.     

The application of inertial measurement units and functional principal component analysis to evaluate movement in the forward 3½ pike somersault springboard dive

Based on technological and analytical advances, the capability to more accurately and finitely examine biomechanical and skill characteristics of movement has improved. The purpose of this study was to use Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) and Functional Principal Components Analysis (fPCA) to examine the role of movement variability (assessed via angular velocity), on 2 divers (1 international level; 1 national) performing the forward 3½ pike somersault dive. Analysis of angular velocity curves during ive-flight identified 5 fPCs, accounting for 96.5% of movement variability. The national diver’s scatter plots and standard deviation of fPC scores illustrated larger magnitudes of angular velocity variability across dive flight. For fPC1 and fPC3, magnitudes of SD variability were 282.6 and 201.5, respectively. The international diver illustrated more consistent angular velocity profiles, with clustering of fPCs scores (e.g., fPC1 & 3 = SD’s of 75.2 & 68.0). To account for lower variability in the international diver, the ability to better coordinate movement sequences and functionally utilise feedback in response to initiation of the somersault position is highlighted. Overall, findings highlight how both IMUs and fPCA can more holistically and finitely examine the biomechanical and skill characteristics of movement sequences with the capability to inform athlete development.     

Contextual factors on physical demands in professional women’s soccer: Female Athletes in Motion study

The aim of this study was to examine the impact of contextual factors on relative locomotor and metabolic power distances during professional female soccer matches. Twenty-eight players (forwards, n?=?4; midfielders, n?=?12; defenders, n?=?12) that competed in a 90-min home and away match (regular season only). The generalised estimating equations (GEE) was used to evaluate relative locomotor and metabolic power distances for three contextual factors: location (home vs. away), type of turf (natural vs. artificial), and match outcome (win, loss and draw). No differences were observed for home vs. away matches. Moderate-intensity running (20.0?±?1.0?m?min^?1 and 16.4?±?0.9?m?min^?1), high-intensity running (8.6?±?0.4?m?min^?1 and 7.3?±?0.4?m?min^?1) and high-metabolic power (16.3?±?0.5?m?min^?1 and 14.4?±?0.5?m?min^?1) distances were elevated on artificial turf compared to natural grass, respectively. Relative sprint distance was greater during losses compared with draws (4.3?±?0.4?m?min^?1 and 3.4?±?0.3?m?min^?1). Overall physical demands of professional women’s soccer were not impacted by match location. However, the elevation of moderate and high-intensity demands while playing on artificial turf may have implications on match preparations as well as recovery strategies.     

体育明星电视广告代言研究

以中央五频道2013—2015年间播放的电视广告为样本,采用内容分析法对体育明星的电视广告代言情况进行分析。结果显示：①体育明星进行电视广告代言的比例非常高,占27.66%;而在电视商业广告中,这一数字达到了36.05%,说明体育明星在电视广告中的流行程度非常高。②电视广告中体育明星的代言内容十分广泛,以汽车、公益、体育用品、酒类、赛事、媒体、企业形象、饮品等八类为主,并且体育相关产品的51.0%、非体育相关产品的25.7%都是由体育明星来代言的。③体育明星代言电视广告的数量与奥运会密切相关,企业选择体育明星作为代言人受体育明星的流行程度、匹配性、领域地位等因素的影响。④未来体育明星电视广告一定程度上会受移动广告的冲击,但是体育娱乐化也进一步拓宽了体育明星代言电视广告之路。     

Investigating Identity: Gender,Overseas Experience,and Japanese Youth

Identity is prominent in academia, despite it being difficult to define and measure due to its dynamic and multifaceted nature. In Japan, awareness of the make-up of Japanese youth is increasingly crucial as Japan becomes a more internationalized and ageing society. This paper examines, by identity mapping and discriminant analysis, the cultural identities of 94 Japanese youth. While strong Global identities separated the respondents with from without overseas experience, ties to National identities and Relationships were found respectively for males and females. This paper suggests that regarding the study of cultural identities, gender does matter – at least in Japan.     

Understanding the track and field sprint start through a functional analysis of the external force features which contribute to higher levels of block phase performance

This study aimed to identify the continuous ground reaction force (GRF) features which contribute to higher levels of block phase performance. Twenty-three sprint-trained athletes completed starts from their preferred settings during which GRFs were recorded separately under each block. Continuous features of the magnitude and direction of the resultant GRF signals which explained 90% of the variation between the sprinters were identified. Each sprinter’s coefficient score for these continuous features was then input to a linear regression model to predict block phase performance (normalised external power). Four significant (p < 0.05) predictor features associated with GRF magnitude were identified; there were none associated with GRF direction. A feature associated with greater rear block GRF magnitudes from the onset of the push was the most important predictor (β = 1.185), followed by greater front block GRF magnitudes for the final three-quarters of the push (β = 0.791). Features which included a later rear block exit (β = 0.254) and greater front leg GRF magnitudes during the mid-push phase (β = 0.224) were also significant predictors. Sprint practitioners are encouraged, where possible, to consider the continuous magnitude of the GRFs produced throughout the block phase in addition to selected discrete values.     

2017年世界男排联赛中国男排与对手比赛技术效果对比分析

通过对比分析在2017年世界男排联赛上中国男排与对手在比赛中的整体技术效果、3站比赛间中国男排自身的技术效果及各站对手的技术效果,得出在劳尔教练任期的第一次世界大赛中国男排技术效果上的优势与不足,为其日后训练比赛提供数据参考和建议。研究发现：中国男排在发球、一传和防守技术效果上显著差于对手,一攻和反攻技术效果略差于对手,仅拦网技术效果显著好于对手。发现中国男排存在如下问题：（1）发球技术能力与外教战术意图不匹配,且缺少沟通;（2）一传稳定性差,顶不住大力发球冲击成为被对手制约的短板,且一传的差距直接转化为一攻的差距表现出来;（3）二传传平拉开球速度不够快,导致战术进攻意图过于明显;（4）比赛中拦网技术存在补拦意识仍不够、移动跟不上、拦一点放弃了两点的不足;（5）防守队员预判能力不够,下蹲过浅造成移动慢,从而对拦起球的保护跟不上。此外,研究还就3站比赛进行分类对比分析,得出了相应结论与建议。     

2016田径钻石联赛前三名男子跳远技术对比分析

通过文献资料法、信息技术法对2016年国际钻石联赛男子跳远项目的前3名运动员助跑最后四步及步长、起跳技术进行对比分析,探讨运动员之间技术方面存在的差异。结果表明:1)2016国际田径钻石联赛上海站跳远运动员最后四步步长变化不稳定,个别运动员倒数1步步长大于倒数第2步,步长的控制没有达到理想的范围。2)相对来讲,高兴龙助跑节奏较稳定、频率快,踏板准确度高,水平速度发挥充分。3)3名运动员在起跳技术方面高兴龙的起跳技术比较稳定,其他两名运动员在落地和腾空技术上还有较大的提升空间。