By Dr. Matteo Giardini
The object of study of the thesis concerns "The biomechanical analysis of the behavior on the track of competition skates with innovative solutions". The analysis is presented as experimental, in analogy with the studies and works analyzed by the scientific literature in the field of Biomechanics. These studies and works inspired the object of study in the methods of carrying out the tests and in the subsequent data analysis. The objective of the study is the comparison between the "A" skate, which is the current top model for speed inline skating, while the "B" skate looks like an innovative skate model with possible future applications. The study was structured in three distinct but complementary phases.
- The first test was carried out in Rovereto (Trento) at the CEBISM center on 07/05/08, where the biomechanical and metabolic assessments (oxygen consumption, surface electromyography) of skating on "Treadmill" with two types of skates (A and B) with an elite athlete.
- The second test was carried out at the competition skating rink in Noale (Venice) on 05/23/08, where biomechanical and metabolic assessments (oxygen consumption, surface electromyography, baropodometric soles) were performed. track with two types of skates (A and B) with two elite running skating athletes.
- The third test was carried out at the competition skating rink in Noale (Venice) on 10/14/08, where biomechanical and metabolic assessments (baropodometric soles and oxygen consumption) of skating on the track with two types were performed of skates (A and B). The metabolic evaluation time was increased (oxygen consumption), the number of athletes was also increased to four elite athletes.
The data collected in the various phases will be composed in order to verify the metabolic, biomechanical and athletic performance of skate "B" with respect to skate "A". Finally it is proposed to detect biomechanical models of push in curve and rectilinear with the use of baropodometric slabs and electromyograph. The usefulness of this study concerns the validation of scientific methods of analysis of the athletic gesture applicable in the competitive field and in support of technical sports design. Future developments concern the analysis of a greater number of athletes and the possible optimization of the "B" model.
During the analysis of the surveys a metabolic advantage was observed in the Noale Uno test of 05/23/08 where the Athlete AZ showed the reduction in oxygen consumption of 7.8%, and -5% for the IS Athlete, while in the Noale Due test of 05/23/08 the only Athlete tested Athlete AZ showed an average advantage (arithmetic mean of the tests with skate "A" and "B") of -0.6 % in oxygen consumption with skate "B", according to the tests of 05/07/08 carried out in Rovereto on the Treadmill which marked a metabolic disadvantage of + 0.52% at the speed of 20 Km / h of skating and a 3% advantage at the speed of 15km / h of skating.
From the point of view of electromyographic activation we observed the greater activation of the push muscles in curves on the track such as the right medial Vasto (+ 4%), left medial Vasto (+ 12%), right anterior Tibial (+ 7%), Tibialis anterior left (+ 4%), Gastrocnemius right lateral (+ 6%) and lower activation of the right soleus muscles (-3%), Soleus left (-9%), Right femoral biceps (-26%), Peroniere long right (-6%) in the tests performed at Noale Uno, with a flexion angle of the right knee of shoe "B" + 15% greater than the shoe "A". In the observation of electromyographic surveys in rectilinear the greater activation of the right anterior Tibial muscles (+22), left anterior Tibial (+ 6.5%), lateral Gastrocnemius (+ 7%), left soleus (+ 7%), Vast femoral left (+ 14%) and an advantage in the right soleus muscles (-9%), Peroniere long (-5%), Biceps femoris left (-26%) with a greater angle of flexion of the right knee of +28 % in the shoe "B" with respect to the shoe "A". In the Slalom test on the Treadmill (Rovereto), there was a lower activation of the vastus medial muscles (-9%), rectus femoris (-5%), large gluteus (-24%), biceps femoris (-29%), while there was an increase in muscle activation of the Soleo muscles (+ 7%), Peroniero (+ 5.5%), Medial / lateral Gastrocnemius (+ 19%), Vasto lateral (+ 5%), Adductor (+ 8% ).
In the free skating test at 20 km / h on the Treadmill a greater activation of the right medial gastrocnemius muscles (+ 3.5%), right lateral gastrocnemius (+ 12.7%), large buttock and adductor (+ 7%) was observed, Vasto mediale (+ 5%), while lower activation of the soleus muscles (-12.69%), Tibialis anterior (-16%), biceps femoris (-10%).
In the analysis of the baropodometric slab surveys it has been shown that the straight-line thrusts in the left shoes "A" and "B" show a behavior very similar to each other with the only difference regarding the support phase which in the shoe "B" is do not mark obvious drops in strength. The push in a straight line with the left skate has a more progressive tendency in the expression of strength than the right skate. The right shoes "A" and "B" in straight line show similar behaviors in three phases of the thrust (support, thrust and detachment) and differ in the support phase in which the shoe "A" keeps the thrust in a constant manner with respect to the skate "B". The force expressed in the skids "A" and "B" in the curve thrust is uniform in the four thrust phases that follow one another in a progressive manner in the left skid, as opposed to the straight-line thrust where a force is observed in the support and thrust phase variable that drops in the support and suddenly increases in the thrust. The right skids of "A" and "B" in curves differ completely from the left shoes of "A" and "B", having a sudden thrust in the support phase, followed by that of support (not very evident). In conclusion the skids "A" and "B" in the phase of pushing in straight and curved have a similar behavior. The thrusts in bends and in straight lines are different between the left and right pads. The "A" and "B" skates did not show any striking differences from the point of view of the thrust force and the progress of the center of pressure on the foot. Skid "A" has shown to be more reactive than "B" which showed a steady state of force in the support phase. The center of pressure in the left pad "B" has shown to be in the support phase and pushed further forward than the left pad "A", with the center of pressure of the right skids of "A" and "B" less distant from the heel with respect to the left skate (180mm left and right skids vs 160mm right skids A and B).
With this study a knowledge has been created on the possible techniques of Biomechanical analysis of speed skating with analysis instrumentation (Metabolic, Baropodometric, Electromyographic). The skate "B" has shown to be more manageable than the skate "A", as evidenced by the slalom tests, but to be disadvantaged on the straight and curved in the tests performed on the track in Noale, in which it showed greater activation of the muscles of thrust, combined with greater flexion of the Knee. From a metabolic point of view the results were not significant except in the Noale Uno test. In conclusion, the skate "B" shows to have behaviors suitable for fitness use unlike the "A" one which is more suitable for competitive use in speed skating. Future developments concern the metabolic analysis of a larger sample of athletes.
Second part "
