Concurrent validation of foot-mounted inertial measurement units for quantifying Australian Rules football kicking

The utility of inertial measurement units (IMUs) for sporting skill and performance analysis during training and competition is advantageous for enhancing the objectivity of athlete monitoring. This study aimed to classify Australian Rules football (AF) kick types in an applied environment using ankle-mounted IMUs. IMUs and video capture of a controlled protocol, including four kick types at varying distances, were recorded during a single testing session with female AF athletes (n = 20). Processed IMU data were modelled using support vector machine classifier, random forest, and k-nearest neighbour algorithms under a 2-Kick, 4-Kick, and kick distance (10, 20, 30 m) conditions. The random forest model showed the highest results for overall classification accuracy (83% 2-Kick and 80% 4-Kick), test F1-score (0.76 2-Kick and 0.81 4-Kick), and AUC score (0.58 2-Kick and 0.60 4-Kick). Kick distance classification showed a model test and class weighted F1-score of 0.63 and overall accuracy of 64%, respectively. This study highlights the potential for an applied semi-automated AF training kick detection and type classification system using IMUs.

This paper presents a minimized wearable inertial measurement units (IMU) which consists of a three-axis accelerometer, a three-axis gyroscope, a three-axis magnetometer. These sensors are Micro-electromechanical Systems (MEMS) devices, which have advantages of lower cost, smaller size and lower power consumption. The size of MEMS IMU is 23×23×4mm that is small enough to be easily fixed on hand, waist or shoe for monitoring patients' behavior, tracking people's indoor trajectory and playing games. However, low-cost MEMS inertial sensors are characterized by high noise and large uncertainties in their outputs such as bias, scale factor and errors. We implement the Allan variance method to determine the characteristics of the underlying of various types of error terms of random processes. The MTi-300 is a commercial industrial grade MEMS IMU, which has high precision and low noise. We collected data from wearable IMU and MTi-300 staying on turntable in static state for one hour, then we transfer the data to a laptop and analyze them in MATLAB software. We give comparison analysis about their Allan variance results. In future, the wearable MEMS IMU can get attitude determination in gaming, industrial and medical with the less error and low noise model.

In the last decade, mental toughness (MT) researchers have been interested in the behaviours exemplifying MT. Despite this interest, little attention has been paid to the competitive situations these behaviours occur in. Hence, the aim of the current study was to start addressing this gap by comprehensively focusing on the situations requiring MT in sport – specifically, the contextual demands linked to MT in women’s Australian rules football. Focus groups and individual semi-structured interviews were conducted at two Australian rules football clubs after each competitive round of the 2020 season. Following analysis of participant responses, three broad situational categories were created, representing the psychological demands required by the player or team to successfully overcome in-game challenges. These categories were: context intelligence, attentional regulation, and emotional regulation. This study identified that situations requiring MT also required a degree of acceptance and commitment – alluding to a potential link between acceptance-commitment therapy (ACT) and MT. Conceptually, this view offers a new perspective on the psychological process of being mentally tough in competition. The link between ACT and MT also offers an avenue for MT development. Recommendations are made for incorporating these identified situations into regular training sessions following affective learning design principles.

Investigating rearfoot asymmetry in male marathon runners: dual IMUs reveals biomechanical trade-offs related to performance maintenance.

Australian Rules football is the most popular of the various codes of football played in Australia. During the game players perform frequent landing, cutting and pivoting manoeuvres that expose them to substantial risk for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Recent years have seen the introduction of a professional women’s league that has resulted in an exponential growth in the participation of women and girls in this sport. Unfortunately, there is a corresponding growth in ACL injury rates in female players. This review summarizes the incidence of ACL injury in both men’s and women’s Australian Rules football and reviews potential causative factors and risk reduction strategies. The final section takes an in depth look at return to sport outcomes after ACL reconstruction surgery in these populations. Whilst an ACL injury does not mean the end of a player’s career in Australian football, it certainly presents a significant challenge in terms of return to preinjury levels of form and high rates of secondary and tertiary ACL injury are also a significant concern.

Introduction Child participation in sport is important for physical, cognitive and psychosocial wellbeing. Australian rules football has high participation, but also carries a high risk of injury due to the contact nature of the sport. This study aimed to evaluate changes in the presentation and hospital admission of paediatric Australian rules football-related injuries, and to compare the severity of these injuries with those from other team ball sports. Materials and methods At an Australian paediatric major trauma service, ED and hospital trauma registry data relating to Australian rules football injury between 2009 and 2015 were obtained. Data from other common team ball sports with a shared field of play were also identified. Results During the study period, there were 10,003 ED presentations, and 1110 admissions resulting from team ball sports. With 4751 ED presentations and 616 admissions, Australian rules football accounted for almost one-third of all sports-related presentations and admissions, and around half of the team ball sports cohort. Compared to other team ball sports patients, Australian rules football-related patients were 40% more likely to be admitted, and nearly twice as likely to be classified as severe injury. Australian rules football players presented with different injury patterns were compared to other team ball sports players; admitted players were significantly more likely to have sustained head or neck injuries, and were more than twice as likely to sustain truncal injury. Conclusions Australian rules football is a common cause of ED presentations and results in substantial morbidity, both overall and when compared with other team ball sports. Australian rules football should remain a focus for ongoing and active research into strategies which reduce injury risk.

Context:The nature of Australian rules football (Australian football) predisposes both unique and common injuries compared with those sustained in other football codes. The game involves a combination of tackling, kicking, high-speed running (more than other football codes), and jumping. Two decades of injury surveillance has identified common injuries at the professional level (Australian Football League [AFL]).Objective:To provide an overview of injuries in Australian rules football, including injury rates, patterns, and mechanisms across all levels of play.Study Design:A narrative review of AFL injuries, football injury epidemiology, and biomechanical and physiological attributes of relevant injuries.Results:The overall injury incidence in the 2015 season was 41.7 injuries per club per season, with a prevalence of 156.2 missed games per club per season. Lower limb injuries are most prevalent, with hamstring strains accounting for 19.1 missed games per club per season. Hamstring strains relate to the volume of high-speed running required in addition to at times having to collect the ball while running in a position of hip flexion and knee extension. Anterior cruciate ligament injuries are also prevalent and can result from contact and noncontact incidents. In the upper limb, shoulder sprains and dislocations account for 11.5 missed games per club per season and largely resulted from tackling and contact. Concussion is less common in AFL than other tackling sports but remains an important injury, which has notably become more prevalent in recent years, theorized to be due to a more conservative approach to management. Although there are less injury surveillance data for non-AFL players (women, community-level, children), many of these injuries appear to also be common across all levels of play.Clinical Relevance:An understanding of injury profiles and mechanisms in Australian football is crucial in identifying methods to reduce injury risk and prepare players for the demands of the game.

The eccentric utilization ratio (EUR), which is the ratio of countermovement jump (CMJ) to static jump (SJ) performance, has been suggested as a useful indicator of power performance in athletes. The purpose of the study was to compare the EUR of athletes from a variety of different sports and during different phases of training. A total of 142 athletes from rugby union, Australian Rules Football, soccer, softball, and field hockey were tested. Subjects performed both CMJ and SJ on a force plate integrated with a position transducer. The EUR was measured as the ratio of CMJ to SJ for jump height and peak power. The rugby union, Australian Rules Football, and hockey athletes were tested during off-season and preseason to provide EUR data during different phases of training. For men, EUR for soccer, Australian Rules Football, and rugby was greater than softball (effect size range, 0.83–0.92). For women, EUR for soccer was greater than field hockey and softball (0.86–1.0). There was a significant difference between the jump height and peak power method for the Australian Rules Football, rugby, and field hockey tests conducted preseason (p < 0.05). For field hockey, there was a significant increase in EUR from offseason to preseason. Athletes in sports such as soccer, rugby union, and Australian Rules Football appear to have higher EUR values, which reflects the greater reliance on stretch shortening activities in these sports. It does appear that EUR can be used to track changes in training with the values significantly increasing from off-season to preseason. The EUR provides the practitioner with information about the performance of athletes and appears to be sensitive to changes in the type of training being undertaken.

The eccentric utilization ratio (EUR), which is the ratio of countermovement jump (CMJ) to static jump (SJ) performance, has been suggested as a useful indicator of power performance in athletes. The purpose of the study was to compare the EUR of athletes from a variety of different sports and during different phases of training. A total of 142 athletes from rugby union, Australian Rules Football, soccer, softball, and field hockey were tested. Subjects performed both CMJ and SJ on a force plate integrated with a position transducer. The EUR was measured as the ratio of CMJ to SJ for jump height and peak power. The rugby union, Australian Rules Football, and hockey athletes were tested during off-season and preseason to provide EUR data during different phases of training. For men, EUR for soccer, Australian Rules Football, and rugby was greater than softball (effect size range, 0.83-0.92). For women, EUR for soccer was greater than field hockey and softball (0.86- 1.0). There was a significant difference between the jump height and peak power method for the Australian Rules Football, rugby, and field hockey tests conducted preseason (p < 0.05). For field hockey, there was a significant increase in EUR from off-season to preseason. Athletes in sports such as soccer, rugby union, and Australian Rules Football appear to have higher EUR values, which reflects the greater reliance on stretch shortening activities in these sports. It does appear that EUR can be used to track changes in training with the values significantly increasing from off-season to preseason. The EUR provides the practitioner with information about the performance of athletes and appears to be sensitive to changes in the type of training being undertaken.

Australian rules football is the most popular team sport in Australia. Literature on severe abdominal injuries in this sport is limited. The present study aims to review cases of renal trauma in Australian football at our institution. A retrospective study was performed. All men admitted to our institution with renal trauma or haematuria associated with Australian football from July 1995 to July 2001 were analysed. There were 13 cases of renal trauma; two were grade V injuries requiring nephrectomy. Renal injury will be intermittently encountered owing to the popularity of Australian football. Renal injuries are often difficult to assess and early recognition, management and referral to a district hospital is crucial.

Betting on the various codes of football in Australia accounts for the majority of sports betting, with Australian rules football (AFL) by far the most popular sport in Australia. Several studies have revealed the heavy presence of gambling advertising during AFL broadcasts, and a frequently used advertising strategy involves the use of well-known AFL commentators outlining their tips and betting suggestions. To date, no research has examined the hypotheses that skill may help in predicting AFL matches and monetary outcomes from AFL betting. Rather than merely discounting such ideas, it is important to test them empirically. The aims of this study were therefore, to examine if (1) expert AFL tipsters made better predictions than random picks, (2) expert AFL tipsters gained greater monetary reward than random selection, and (3) expert tipsters’ prediction accuracy improved with betting experience. To this end, six seasons of AFL matches, odds data, and expert tipster data were analysed retrospectively, totalling 1141 matches. Random selections were calculated for each match using an inbuilt random number generator within Microsoft Excel and a $2 simulated wager was applied for each AFL match. The results of mixed-effects modelling showed that experts picked more correct outcomes than random selection; experts’ correct predictions were partially mediated by home-game selections; no difference in monetary outcome was observed for experts compared to random selection; experts’ predictions did not improve over time. The results of this study may be used to inform both psychological interventions that target gamblers’ illusions of control, and public health gambling harm prevention messaging.

Background:Return to sport is a goal for most patients who undergo anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. However, at a nonelite level, there are limited sport-specific data regarding rates or factors associated with return to play.Purpose:To report rates and determinants of returning to play Australian Rules football after ACL reconstruction in male nonprofessional athletes.Study Design:Case-series; Level of evidence, 4.Methods:A total of 354 male nonprofessional Australian Rules football players who had undergone primary ACL reconstruction were asked to complete detailed sports activity questions at 12 months and 2 to 5 years (mean, 3 years) after surgery. Rates of return to play were calculated for both timepoints, along with preoperative patient expectations and postoperative sport performance. The following predictors of return to play were examined: age at surgery; height; weight; frequency of weekly football participation; sport participation level; psychological readiness to return to sport; and knee-related quality of life. Further ACL injuries were also documented. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize return-to-play data and contingency analysis for predictors of return to sport.Results:The rate of return to any level of play was 35% (95% CI, 30%-41%; n = 284) at the 12-month follow-up and 78% (95% CI, 72%-83%; n = 233) at the 2- to 5-year follow-up. Overall, 64% (95% CI, 57%-70%) of the patients were able to return to their same or higher level of play. Before surgery, 92% of the patients expected to return to their same preinjury level of Australian Rules football participation. At the 2- to 5-year follow-up, 61% who returned to play felt that they could perform as well as they could before their ACL injury. A greater psychological readiness to return to sport preoperatively and higher level of sport participation were significant predictors of a return at 2 to 5 years. Further ACL injuries were sustained by 21% of the cohort (15% graft rupture; 6% contralateral ACL injury).Conclusion:Most male athletes who participate in Australian Rules football returned to some level of play after ACL reconstruction; however, only 64% returned to preinjury levels. Preoperative expectations were not met, and high reinjury rates are a cause for concern.

Australian Rules football is one of Australia’s most popular sports for both spectators and participants. For women who play in this team, the sport offers a unique outlet within which to engage in a women-only space, in a physical, full-contact pursuit, and in what ostensibly remains a ‘male’ sport. When women in this team play Australian Rules football they interact in ways that other social spaces neither demand nor offer. As a domain largely defined by female same-sex sociality, women’s Australian Rules football is a social and cultural space that offers a unique set of circumstances within which to explore women’s same-sex bonds. I use this sport to explore the homosocial dynamics that take place amongst women in such a space, drawing on Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, Sharon Marcus, Henriette Gunkel and Nancy Finley to build on the theoretical discourses of ‘homosociality’ and ‘intragender relations’. Further, I use Brian Pronger’s work to explore the sportscape of a women’s Australian Rules football team. In drawing on these theoretical frameworks, I analyse the intersections of embodiment, physicality, gender and space for women who play in this Australian Rules football team, pointing to the implications of women’s same-sex sociality more broadly. Using a visual methodology and drawing on the work of Gerry Bloustein and Gillian Rose, I investigate what we might ‘picture’- both literally and metaphorically, when we draw on visual imagery in sports and gender research. Specifically I use what I term ‘photo projects’ and photo elicitation interviews and, through analysis of photographs created by eight women in one Australian Rules football team, I engage in an in-depth analysis of what this social, physical, gendered, sexualised space means for women who play. Building on homosociality as a framework for theorising women’s same sex bonds that may be applied not only in this field but to female homosocial spaces more generally, I question what this women’s Australian Rules football team tells us about gender, embodiment and physicality. What does it mean for gender when women engage in a sport so deeply entrenched in masculinity and maleness and how do the women in this team negotiate this experience? Exploring what a visual methodology has to offer gender and sports sociology research I question what we might see through a visual methodology that non-visual methods do not have the scope to elucidate. Further I contribute to research on visual methodologies through the development of complimentary research methods, including photo projects and a staged training session, both mechanisms for engaging subjects in generating visual data for the study. Through research into this sportscape I demonstrate how space is constructed as physical as well as imaginary. In doing so I build on Pronger’s work, exploring the mobility and transience of the sportscape and the resonance of such for women who play football. Lastly, through engaging with this sportscape and women’s experiences of this sportscape I look at how women are impacted by and simultaneously impact on the sportscape. Research into this women’s Australian Rules football team illuminates this sportscape as a useful sociological field for engaging with the intersections of gender, embodiment and physicality. Further, by demonstrating the different ways that female homosocial bonds manifest, this thesis contributes new ways of thinking about intragender relations in sport sociology.

BackgroundShoulder injuries are common in Australian Rules football and often lead to considerable time out due to injury. There are no published studies regarding the mechanisms of shoulder injury in...

A novel device to assess hip strength: Concurrent validity and normative values in male athletes