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Current technologies based on inertial measurement units (IMUs) are considered valid and reliable tools for monitoring barbell velocity in strength training. However, the extracted outcomes are often limited to a few velocity metrics, such as mean or maximal velocity. This study aimed at validating a single IMU-based methodology to automatically obtain the barbell velocity full profile as well as key performance metrics during maximal Paralympic bench press. Seven Paralympic powerlifters (age: 30.5 ± 4.3 years, sitting height: 71.6 ± 6.8 cm, body mass: 72.5 ± 16.4 kg, one-repetition maximum: 148.4 ± 38.6 kg) performed four attempts of maximal Paralympic bench press. The barbell velocity profile and relevant metrics were automatically obtained from IMU linear acceleration through a custom-made algorithm and validated against a video-based reference system. The mean difference between devices was 0.00 ± 0.04 m·s−1 with low limits of agreement (<0.09 m·s−1) and moderate-to-good reliability (ICC: 0.55–0.90). Linear regression analysis showed large-to-very large associations between paired measurements (r: 0.57–0.91, p < 0.003; SEE: 0.02–0.06 m·s−1). The analysis of velocity curves showed a high spatial similarity and small differences between devices. The proposed methodology provided a good level of agreement, making it suitable for different applications in barbell velocity monitoring during maximal Paralympic bench press. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archery is a sport accessible to a wide range of people, no matter their age, gender or ability, and can be practiced both by able-bodied and impaired athletes on a level playing field. The recent increase in the number of studies concerning the biomechanical evaluation of the archery discipline revealed the need to advance an evidence-based approach for a standardised and objective assessment of the athletic gesture. A systematic literature search of relevant databases in July 2021 yielded 41 studies spanning 35 years (1986–2021). The research strings focused on the parameters, employed measurement systems and on the outcomes. The investigation of the influence of a wide range of physiological and kinematic parameters on the archer performance revealed that expert athletes tend to maximise postural stability and develop personal strategies of muscular activation and time management. These findings evidenced the importance of the repeatability of the technical gesture, opening additional scenarios for further investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Azure Kinect is applicable in home rehabilitation contexts. • Azure Kinect shows tracking capabilities comparable to multi-cameras systems. • Azure Kinect is highly accurate in tracking upper body movements. • Azure Kinect is more accurate than its predecessor. Equipments generally used for entertainment, such as Microsoft Kinect, have been widely used for postural control as well. Such systems—compared to professional motion tracking systems—allow to obtain non-invasive and low-cost tracking. This makes them particularly suitable for the implementation of home rehabilitation systems. Microsoft has recently released a new version of Kinect, namely Azure Kinect DK, that is meant for developers, not consumers, and it has been specifically designed to implement professional applications. The hardware of this new version of the Kinect has been substantially improved as compared with previous versions. However, the accuracy of the Azure Kinect DK has not been evaluated yet in the context of the assessment of postural control as done for its predecessors. We present a study to compare the motion traces of the Azure Kinect DK with those of a Vicon 3D system, typically considered the gold standard for high-accuracy motion tracking. The study involved 26 subjects performing specific functional reach and functional balance exercises. The results clearly indicates that the Azure Kinect DK provides a very accurate tracking of the main joints of the body for all the recording taken during the lateral reach movement. The Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) between the two tracking systems obtained is approximately 0.2 for the lateral and forward exercises while for the balance exercise it is around 0.47 considering the average of the results among all the joints. The angular Mean Absolute Error is approximately in the range 5–15 degrees for all the upper joints and independently on the exercise. The lower body joints show a higher angular error between the two systems. Not surprisingly, it was found that results are much better in correspondence of slow movements. The results achieved that the Azure Kinect DK has an incredibly high potential to be used in applications of home rehabilitation, where the assessment of postural control is a fundamental and crucial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interest and competitiveness in sports for persons with disabilities has increased significantly in the recent years, creating a demand for technological tools supporting practice. Wearable sensors offer non-invasive, portable and overall convenient ways to monitor sports practice. This systematic review aims at providing current evidence on the application of wearable sensors in sports for persons with disability. A search for articles published in English before May 2020 was performed on Scopus, Web-Of-Science, PubMed and EBSCO databases, searching titles, abstracts and keywords with a search string involving terms regarding wearable sensors, sports and disability. After full paper screening, 39 studies were included. Inertial and EMG sensors were the most commonly adopted wearable technologies, while wheelchair sports were the most investigated. Four main target applications of wearable sensors relevant to sports for people with disability were identified and discussed: athlete classification, injury prevention, performance characterization for training optimization and equipment customization. The collected evidence provides an overview on the application of wearable sensors in sports for persons with disability, providing useful indication for researchers, coaches and trainers. Several gaps in the different target applications are highlighted altogether with recommendation on future directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]