Abstract
The individual monitoring of cross-country skiers’ technique-related parameters is crucial to identifying possible athlete-individual deficits that need to be corrected in order to optimize the athlete’s performance in competition. To be able to record relevant biomechanical parameters during training in the field, the development of measuring systems exploiting the athlete’s full potential is the key. Known mobile monitoring systems for measuring forces on ski poles use comparably heavy uniaxial load cells mounted on the pole with a data logger also attached to the pole or carried by the athlete. Measurements that are more accurate can be acquired using wire-based systems. However, wire-based systems are highly immobile and only usable when the athletes undergo a stationary test, e.g., on a treadmill. This paper focuses on the functional design of a measuring system using specialized, miniaturized electronics for acquiring data from strain sensors. These data are then used to determine the technique-related parameters pole force and angle of bend. The functional design is also capable of transmitting the acquired data wirelessly via Bluetooth to a smartphone that runs a proprietary app. This approach is advantageous regarding mass, dynamic behavior, analyzing functionality, and signal processing compared to the state of the art.
Highlights
The individual monitoring of cross-country skiers’ technique-related parameters is crucial to identifying possible athlete-individual deficits that need to be corrected in order to optimise the athlete’s performance in competition
The red load condition shows low axial force combined with high bending of the ski pole which might be achieved by an amateur
The described construction features, the small weight, and the positioning of the measuring system on the top end of the ski pole contribute to a operational feeling that is comparable to any other ski pole used in cross-country skiing
Summary
The individual monitoring of cross-country skiers’ technique-related parameters is crucial to identifying possible athlete-individual deficits that need to be corrected in order to optimise the athlete’s performance in competition. Wireless data transmission on computers or smartphones has not yet been reported in the literature This would offer the possibility of live-feedback training and enable the design of a smart pole, which can be applied for mass sports application, e.g., as self-tracking device. At this point, the present investigations for the development of alternative measuring methods are initiated. For the development of the measuring system presented in this paper, the function integration approach is used in order to monitor ski pole loads. The last section briefly summarizes the contributions of the work presented with respect to their relevance for sports medicine
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