Jumping Motion Research Articles

Computational account for the naturalness perception of others' jumping motion based on a vertical projectile motion model.

The visual naturalness of a rendered character's motion is an important factor in computer graphics work, and the rendering of jumping motions is no exception to this. However, the computational mechanism that underlies the observer's judgement of the naturalness of a jumping motion has not yet been fully elucidated. We hypothesized that observers would perceive a jumping motion as more natural when the jump trajectory was consistent with the trajectory of a vertical projectile motion based on Earth's gravity. We asked human participants to evaluate the naturalness of point-light jumping motions whose height and duration were modulated. The results showed that the observers' naturalness rating varied with the modulation ratios of the jump height and duration. Interestingly, the ratings were high even when the height and duration differed from the actual jump. To explain this tendency, we constructed computational models that predicted the theoretical trajectory of a jump based on the projectile motion formula and calculated the errors between the theoretical and observed trajectories. The pattern of the errors correlated closely with the participants' ratings. Our results suggest that observers judge the naturalness of observed jumping motion based on the error between observed and predicted jump trajectories.

Operative management of chronic isolated rectus femoris rupture with semitendinosus graft and biofiber: A case report

Rectus femoris tear is rare and often overlooked in emergencies. The majority of quadriceps muscle belly injuries can be successfully treated conservatively and for less active, older populations Non-operative management is reasonable. A case report of a 19-year-old male Kabbaddi player who sustained an injury to his rectus femoris muscle belly while playing 5 months back. This young patient did not recover the functional outcome required to get back to running and participating in kabaddi despite 5 months of physiotherapy and non-operative management and had complaints of Pain over midthigh and weakness in quadriceps during hip flexion and knee extension. This leads to Hindrances in Jumping, running, and kicking movements. Tenderness over the midthigh and palpable defect with Pain upon resisted hip flexion or extension was seen.3/5 quadriceps power was noted. Ultrasound and MRI were done to confirm the clinical diagnosis. Operative treatment using the semitendinosus allograft with bio fiber reconstruction system to augment rectus femoris repair allowed immediate full passive flexion of the knee and an early graduated physiotherapy program leading to a return to running and his previous level of sport without any restrictions. Surgical treatment of rectus femoris tear seems to be a good option for Chronic tears.

Reliability and validity of "My Jump 2" application for countermovement jump free arm and interlimb jump symmetry in different sports of professional athletes.

Vertical jumping is an important evaluation tool to measure muscle strength and power as well as lower limb symmetry. It is of practical importance and value to develop and utilize a portable and low-cost mobile application (APP) to evaluate jumping. The "My Jump 2" app is an iPhone camera-based application for measuring jumping movements, which is applied to the countermovement jump (CMJ) vertical jumps of the lower limbs of athletes in different sports. The validity of this application and previous versions applied to different forms of vertical jump tests has been preliminarily demonstrated in different population, which has an obvious progress in research. Therefore, the reliability and validity of the jump height, time of flight parameters and symmetry of the CMJ vertical jump of athletes in different sports are needed to be verified by more experiments. The purpose of this study is to verify whether "My Jump 2" can effectively and reliably assess jump height, flight practice and lower limb symmetry in CMJAM (countermovement jump free arm) tests in fencing, swimming and diving athletes. Seventy-nine fencers, swimmers and divers with training experience participated in this study. They completed a total of three CMJAM vertical jump and lower limb symmetry tests in 1 day, while being assessed by using the "My Jump 2" application and a force platform. The intra-group correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to verify reliability, while the Cronbach's alpha and coefficient of variation (CV%) was used to analyze the stability of the CMJAM vertical jump test over three jumps. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to verify the strength of the relationship between methods (i.e., concurrent validity), and the Bland-Altman plot was used to represent consistency, meanwhile, the t-test was used to determine the systematic bias between methods. Compared with the force platform, the cumulative height values of the total number of jumps (r = 0.999; p = 0.000), the cumulative time to vacate (r = 0.999; p = 0.000) for the CMJAM test obtained by the "My Jump 2" application, the height (ICC = 0.999-1, p = 0.000), the time to vacate flight (ICC = 0.999-1, p = 0.000), contact time symmetry (ICC = 0.976-0.994, p = 0.000), and flight time symmetry (ICC = 0.921-0.982, p = 0.000), respectively. Showed high correlation between the results of "my jump 2" app and the force platform. The "My Jump 2" application is a valid tool to assess CMJAM vertical jump and lower limb symmetry in fencing, swimming and diving athletes with training experience.

Bistable Insect-Scale Jumpers with Tunable Energy Barriers for Multimodal Locomotion.

Drawing inspiration from the jumping mechanisms of insects (e.g., click beetles), bistable structures can convert slow deformations of soft actuating material into fast jumping motions (i.e., power amplification). However, bistable jumpers often encounter large energy barriers for energy release/re-storage, posing a challenge in achieving multimodal (i.e., height/distance) and continuous jumps at the insect scale (body length under 20mm). Here, a new offset-buckling bistable design is introduced that features antisymmetric equilibrium states and tunable energy barriers. Leveraging this design, a Boundary Actuation Tunable Energy-barrier (BATE) jumper (body length down to 15mm) is developed, and transform BATE jumper from height-jump mode (up to 12.7 body lengths) to distance-jump mode (up to 20 body lengths). BATE jumpers can perform agile continuous jumping (within 300ms for energy release/re-storage times) and real-time status detection is further demonstrated. This insect-level performance of the proposed BATE jumper showcases its potential toward future applications in exploration, search, and rescue.

Successive rebounds of obliquely impinging water droplets on nanostructured superhydrophobic surfaces

The impact and rebound of water droplets on superhydrophobic surfaces frequently happen in nature and also in a number of industrial processes, which has thus stimulated strenuous efforts to explore the underlying hydrodynamics. Despite that massive achievements have been made over the past decades, existing works are mostly focusing on the short-time bouncing dynamics after a single impact; however, the long-term, successive droplet rebounds, which are practically more important, only received very limited attention. In this work, we perform an experimental investigation on the impact of water droplets on inclined nanostructured superhydrophobic surfaces at low Weber numbers, where massive complete rebounds arise. It was found that an obliquely impinging droplet would undergo many impacts on the superhydrophobic surface, accompanying with sliding on the surface, jumping in air, and complex shape evolutions. Based on the kinematic analyses, we demonstrate that the droplet motion on the surface can be decomposed into a perpendicular impact, which is dominated by the capillary and inertial forces, and a translational motion under the drive of gravity. By contrast, the jumping motion after droplet rebound is solely governed by the gravitational force, yet relevant droplet characteristics are affected by the energy loss during the impact on superhydrophobic surface, which sets the maximum height that the droplet rebounds to. In addition, three distinct shape evolution modes–namely, oscillation, rotation and their combination–were identified on jumping droplets, and the direction of a rotational droplet can be altered via the following impingement on the superhydrophobic surface.

Perception-Driven Learning of High-Dynamic Jumping Motions for Single-Legged Robots

Perception-Driven Learning of High-Dynamic Jumping Motions for Single-Legged Robots

Single Sequential Trajectory Optimization with Centroidal Dynamics and Whole-Body Kinematics for Vertical Jump of Humanoid Robot.

High vertical jumping motion, which enables a humanoid robot to leap over obstacles, is a direct reflection of its extreme motion capabilities. This article proposes a single sequential kino-dynamic trajectory optimization method to solve the whole-body motion trajectory for high vertical jumping motion. The trajectory optimization process is decomposed into two sequential optimization parts: optimization computation of centroidal dynamics and coherent whole-body kinematics. Both optimization problems converge on the common variables (the center of mass, momentum, and foot position) using cost functions while allowing for some tolerance in the consistency of the foot position. Additionally, complementarity conditions and a pre-defined contact sequence are implemented to constrain the contact force and foot position during the launching and flight phases. The whole-body trajectory, including the launching and flight phases, can be efficiently solved by a single sequential optimization, which is an efficient solution for the vertical jumping motion. Finally, the whole-body trajectory generated by the proposed optimized method is demonstrated on a real humanoid robot platform, and a vertical jumping motion of 0.5 m in height (foot lifting distance) is achieved.

Anthropometry and Physical Features of Bangladeshi Women National Level Kho-Kho and Football Players: A Frank Comparison

Introduction: In Bangladesh Football is the most popular ball game but Kho-Kho is not that popular like Football. Kho-Kho is a popular Game in India but day by day it is becoming popular in Bangladesh. Major muscle groups are used in these two games because both games involve running, driving, jumping, swinging, and hand motions. Methods: Forty national-level women Football players and forty national-level women Kho-Kho players were studied in the present study. The average age is between 14 to 21 years and the training age is between 2 to 6 years. All the anthropometric measurements and body mass were carried out with proper guidelines. Results: The average leg length for Female Kho-Kho players is 89.14 ( ±4.44 cm) and that of Female Football players is 86.92 ( ±8.91) cm. The average leg length of women Kho-Kho players is 2.22 cm higher than the average leg length of women Football players which is statistically significant. There is also a significant difference (p ≤0.05) when average BMI is compared. The average fat percentage of Women Footballers is slightly higher than the average Fat % of women Kho-Kho players where the average fat percentage of women football players is 22.09 % ±4.05 and that of Kho-Kho players is 22.01 ±4.01. Conclusion: The Bangladeshi national-level women Kho-Kho players have better physiques than the national women Football players whereas the body composition of both groups is very close.

ANALYSIS OF CAUSES AND POSTOPERATIVE RECOVERY OF ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT INJURY CAUSED BY AEROBICS IN KNEE JOINTS

Background: During the process of aerobic exercise, there are a lot of jumping and split movements, which can easily cause anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in the knee joint. After undergoing ACL reconstruction (ACLR) surgery, postoperative recovery is crucial. Currently, many methods have been applied, but research on water exercise is still limited. Purpose: This paper aims to understand the role of water exercise in the recovery of athletic ability after ACLR and provide guidance for athletes’ postoperative rehabilitation. Methods: Forty athletes with ACL injuries caused by aerobics practice or competition and undergoing surgery were randomly assigned to either group A or group B. The former received six weeks of a conventional postoperative recovery program, and the latter received six weeks of a water exercise postoperative recovery program. Knee joint range of motion (ROM), swelling value, visual analog scale (VAS) score, knee joint function score, and passive angle reproduction (PAR) were measured before and after the experiment. Results: After six weeks of recovery, the knee ROM was [Formula: see text], the swelling value was [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]cm, the VAS score was [Formula: see text], the Lysholm score was [Formula: see text], and the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score was [Formula: see text] in group B, which were significantly lower than those before recovery and those in group A ([Formula: see text]). After recovery, the PAR of the affected side was still different from that of the healthy side in the two groups ([Formula: see text]), but the PAR of group B was better than that of group A ([Formula: see text]). Conclusion: Compared to the conventional program, the water exercise-based postoperative recovery program demonstrates better performance in improving knee joint ROM, functionality, and proprioception, and can be used for practical post-ACLR rehabilitation.

Acute Effect of Kinesio Taping Applied to Gastrocnemius Muscle on Jumping Performance in Athletes and Sedentary Individuals

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the acute effect of kinesio taping applied to athletes and sedentary individuals on vertical and horizontal jumping performances. Methods: The study included 20 licensed male basketball players and 20 male sedentary individuals between the ages of 18-25. Vertical jump height and horizontal jump distance were evaluated. Free jumping and squat jumping tests were applied to measure the vertical jump height. Single leg hop test was chosen for the measurement of horizontal jump distance. Single leg hop test was performed with the dominant foot. Tests after kinesio taping were performed 10 minutes after facilitation technique was applied to gastrocnemius muscle. Results: A comparison of the pre- and post-taping data in the athlete group revealed a significant increase in both squat jump and single leg hop tests (p<0.05). In the sedentary group, there was a significant increase only in the single leg hop test compared to before taping (p<0.05). All pretest and posttest values of the athlete group were higher than the sedentary group (p>0.05). In terms of the performance increases after kinesio taping, the increases in the athlete group were higher for all tests compared to the sedentary group (p>0.05). Conclusions: Our study revealed that kinesio taping can improve jumping performance in both athletes and sedentary individuals. We think that kinesio taping could improve the performance especially in sports where jumping movements are frequently used such as basketball.

Simulation Analysis of Frog-Inspired Take-Off Performance Based on Different Structural Models.

The frog-inspired jumping robot is an interesting topic in the field of biomechanics and bionics. However, due to the frog's explosive movement and large range of joint motion, it is very difficult to make their structure completely bionic. To obtain the optimal jumping motion model, the musculoskeletal structure, jumping movement mechanism, and characteristics of frogs are first systematically analyzed, and the corresponding structural and kinematic parameters are obtained. Based on biological characteristics, a model of the articular bone structure is created, which can fully describe the features of frog movement. According to the various factors affecting the frog's jumping movement, mass and constraints are added, and the complex biological joint structure is simplified into four different jumping structure models. The jumping ground reaction force, velocity, and displacement of the center of mass, joint torque, and other motion information of these four models are obtained through ADAMS simulation to reveal the jumping movement mechanism and the influencing factors of frogs. Finally, various motion features are analyzed and compared to determine the optimal structural model of the comprehensive index, which provides a theoretical basis for the design of the frog-inspired jumping robot.

Jumping towards field-based ground reaction force estimation and assessment with OpenCap

Low-cost and field-viable methods that can simultaneously assess external kinetics and kinematics are necessary to enhance field-based biomechanical monitoring. The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy and usability of ground reaction force (GRF) profiles estimated from segmental kinematics, measured with OpenCap (a low-cost markerless motion-capture system), during common jumping movements. Full-body segmental kinematics were recorded for fifteen recreational athletes performing countermovement, squat, bilateral drop, and unilateral drop jumps, and used to estimate vertical GRFs with a mechanics-based method. Eleven distinct performance-, fatigue-, or injury-related GRF variables were then validated against a gold-standard force platform. Across jumping movements, a total of six and three GRF variables were estimated with a bias or limits of agreement <5 % respectively. Bias and limits of agreement were between 5 and 15 % for seventeen and nineteen variables respectively. Moreover, we show that estimated force variables with a bias <15 % can adequately assess the within-athlete changes in GRF variables between jumping conditions (arm swing or leg dominance). These findings indicate that using a low-cost and field-viable markerless motion capture system (OpenCap) to estimate and assess GRF profiles during common jumping movements is approaching acceptable limits of accuracy. The presented method can be used to monitor force variables of interest and examine underlying segmental kinematics. This application is a jump towards researchers and sports practitioners performing biomechanical monitoring of jumping efficiently, regularly, and extensively in field settings.

Microscale underfill dynamics and void formation of high-density flip-chip packaging: Experiments and simulations

This research focuses on developing high-fidelity experimental and numerical models to analyze microscale underfill dynamics and void formation in high-density flip-chip packaging. Three underfilling scenarios are investigated, namely, point type, I-shaped line type, and L-type line type. The point-type underfilling validates the numerical model against experimental results, while the I-shaped and L-type line-type underfilling explore grid independence, void formation, and critical parameters such as filling position, contact angle, and liquid viscosity. Results indicate that contact angle and viscosity significantly influence filling efficiency and interface evolution. A smaller contact angle accelerates the process, reducing interface jumping motions. Viscous effects are quantified, revealing dimensionless filling time convergence. The use of low-viscosity surrogate fluids enhances numerical simulation efficiency. Sub-bump-sized, bump-sized, and sup-bump-sized voids are observed, identifying three void formation scenarios representing different underfilling flow mechanisms. This study provides insight into microscale flip-chip underfill physics and establishes validated models for next-generation high-density flip-chip products. These models can be further refined and integrated into optimization tools for automated process design, contributing to improved assembly yield and reliability of emerging electronic packages through physics-based understanding and modeling.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MUSCLE ACTIVITIES DURING JUMPING MOTION IN DESCENT AND ASCENT PHASES ON A TRAMPOLINE

Trampoline bounces are performed on a bed of a jumping surface that is stretched over the trampoline apparatus. The jumping motion is divided into a descent phase, i.e., from the landing to the maximum depth, and an ascent phase, from the maximum depth to the takeoff. Most studies on muscle activity during jumping have investigated muscle activity during the same phase between groups or between landing and release; however, no studies have investigated muscle activity between phases. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate muscle activity during the descent and ascent phases and obtain basic data on the jumping motion. For the trials, participants were instructed to perform 15 consecutive jumps on the trampoline bed from a standing still position, as high as possible, straight and straight up in the center of the trampoline bed. The muscle activities of the rectus femoris, tibialis anterior, and lateral gastrocnemius revealed significant increases and larger effect sizes in the descent phase than in the ascent phase (p &lt; 0.01). The muscle activities of the sternocleidomastoid, trapezius, and biceps femoris demonstrated significant increases and medium effect sizes in the descent phase in contrast to the ascent phase (p &lt; 0.01). Pushing down the bed by the muscular activity of the lower extremities is most pursued in the descent phase. Then, participants maintain a straight vertical posture for the body to receive the rebound force from the maximum depth of the bed. This suggests that the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles were significantly active in controlling the head position. A high jump is achieved by pushing the bed down for a deep descent and maintaining a straight posture at the maximum depth. The elastic bed is similar to an Open Kinetic Chain in the descent phase because the load incrementally increases, and to a Closed Kinetic Chain in the ascent phase because the load begins at the maximum depth of the bed. Separating the elements of the jumping motion required in the descent and ascent phases is important in athletic training

Enhancing Volleyball Athlete Performance: A Comprehensive Review of Training Interventions and Their Impact on Agility, Explosive Power, and Strength.

Volleyball is one of the most globally renowned sportsin terms of global popularity. The game is a team sport that both men and women can participate in. The gameplay relies heavily on physical activities such as jumping, landing, and quick movements, often causing strain on the musculoskeletal system and leading to injuries. For this reason, agility training is crucial to improving a player's ability to change direction swiftly as and when required by the gameplay. Although it is relatively safer than other team sports, actions like jumping, blocking, and spiking can lead to potential injuries. Properly monitoring the training loads and injury prevention during training should be the major focus in formulating a holistic training methodology in volleyball training. The main goal of this literature study is to evaluate the impact of various training interventions on agility and other performance parameters specific to volleyball players. The range of research approaches and interventions described in this literature review highlights the significance of agility in volleyball training. In many studies, the use of tailored training programs for volleyball has been shown to have positive effects on agility, strength, and jump performance. Although there are limitations to the study design and sample size, the findings from this review necessitate the need for better scientifically informed training programs to reduce injury risk while enhancing player's overall performance potential. To conclude, the current literature review highlights the importance of agility training in volleyball, providing insights into effective training strategies and highlighting the low quality of evidence, suggesting the need for well-structured research on the topic.

Building an Online Learning Model Through a Dance Recognition Video Based on Deep Learning

Jumping motion recognition via video is a significant contribution because it considerably impacts intelligent applications and will be widely adopted in life. This method can be used to train future dancers using innovative technology. Challenging poses will be repeated and improved over time, reducing the strain on the instructor when performing multiple times. Dancers can also be recreated by removing features from their images. To recognize the dancers’ moves, check and correct their poses, and another important aspect is that our model can extract cognitive features for efficient evaluation and classification, and deep learning is currently one of the best ways to do this for short-form video features capabilities. In addition, evaluating the quality of the performance video, the accuracy of each dance step is a complex problem when the eyes of the judges cannot focus 100% on the dance on the stage. Moreover, dance on videos is of great interest to scientists today, as technology is increasingly developing and becoming useful to replace human beings. Based on actual conditions and needs in Vietnam. In this paper, we propose a method to replace manual evaluation, and our approach is used to evaluate dance through short videos. In addition, we conduct dance analysis through short-form videos, thereby applying techniques such as deep learning to assess and collect data from which to draw accurate conclusions. Experiments show that our assessment is relatively accurate when the accuracy and F1-score values are calculated. More than 92.38% accuracy and 91.18% F1-score, respectively. This demonstrates that our method performs well and accurately in dance evaluation analysis.

Effects of functional training on muscle strength, jumping, and functional movement screen in wushu athletes: A systematic review

ObjectiveThis study aims to analyse the effects of functional training on muscle strength, jumping, and functional movement screen in wushu athletes. Methods: This study followed the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). A systematic search of electronic databases was also conducted, including EBSCOhost, Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, Google Scholar, and Wanfang. The Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale was an effective indicator to evaluate the quality of studies included in the systematic review. Results: This systematic review included 474 participants aged 8–24 years old. The intervention period for most studies was 12 weeks. Among the included studies, 6 focused on muscle strength, 4 on jumping performance, and 11 on functional movement screen. Conclusion: These articles have been analysed, and the positive impact of functional training interventions on muscle strength, jumping, and functional movement screen of wushu athletes has been verified.

THE INFLUENCE OF ATHLETIC EXERCISES ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN MOTOR ABILITIES

The bases of athletic exercises are natural human movements. Their use in the educational process will contribute to the child’s health comprehensive physical development and strengthening. Athletic exercises improve the skills of walking, running, jumping and other movements that the child needs in his future daily life. The integrated use of athletic exercises teaches the child to feel and control the capabilities of his own body and to enjoy it. Athletic exercises stimulate the activity of each child, taking into consideration his individual characteristics. The aim of the research is the development of motor qualities in the educational process of preschool children using various athletic exercises. The objectives of the research are to increase the motor and functional abilities of children with the help of general developing and special athletic exercises, developing strength, speed, endurance, agility, etc., using various athletic exercises, and instilling love and interest in athletics. We used the method of study, analysis, comparison and synthesis of scientific and methodological literature, pedagogical experiment, methods of empirical analysis (observation, demonstration, etc.) The experiment carried out indicates that athletic exercises have the most effective impact on the process of development of preschool children motor abilities. This confirms the peculiarity and necessity of the quantitative and qualitative use of athletic exercises in improving the physical development of the younger generation.

Effects of Kinesio taping on lower limb biomechanical characteristics during unexpected jumping in patients with chronic ankle instability.

The current biomechanical research on the application of Kinesio taping (KT) to patients with chronic ankle instability (CAI) has focused on testing the expected movements. However, unexpected movements are more common in actual sports. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of KT on the biomechanical characteristics of the knee and ankle joints during unexpected jumping movements. Twenty-one patients with unilateral CAI were recruited to capture the biomechanical parameters during unexpected jumping movements under different interventions: no taping (NT), placebo taping (PT), and KT. A one-way repeated measures analysis of variance was used to compare the differences in knee and ankle biomechanical characteristics among patients with CAI between the three intervention conditions. At initial contact, the KT group demonstrated a significant decrease in ankle plantarflexion and knee flexion angles compared to the NT group (p < 0.05). At the early landing phase, the KT group had a significant increase in peak ankle dorsiflexion angle, peak ankle eversion angle, peak ankle dorsiflexion moment, and peak ankle eversion moment compared to the NT and PT groups (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the KT group had a significantly reduced peak knee flexion angle, peak knee eversion angle, and peak vertical ground reaction force (p < 0.05) compared to the NT and PT groups. KT significantly improves the sprain-prone touchdown posture of patients with CAI. And reducing the risk of ankle sprains during the early landing phase by promoting ankle dorsiflexion and eversion angles and moments.

Basculing in elite show jumping horses: a motion analysis study of trunk and neck movement

Abstract The movement of the trunk and neck plays a crucial role in training and assessing the technical performance in show jumping horses. The term ‘bascule’ describes a rounded and harmonious jumping movement characterised by an arched or bulged back and a lower, stretched neck position. However, there is a lack of consensus in the literature regarding the specific kinematic features that define basculing. The question remains whether the impression of a rounded back is the result of spine flexion into an upward curved position or a combination of thorax elongation and a downward movement of the neck. Additionally, the timing of these movement components remains unclear. To address these questions, we conducted kinematic analyses on six ridden show jumpers with varying levels of competition experience. Using a simplified kinematic model, we analysed the trajectories of the trunk length, trunk height, neck length, and trunk-neck angle throughout different phases of a jump over a single 130 cm vertical fence during a training session. Furthermore, we explored potential differences in basculing execution based on the horses’ competition levels. Our findings indicate that the horses’ body posture while jumping over the fence does not exhibit true flexion of the thoracolumbar spine, resulting in an upward arched shape of the spine. Instead, during the take-off phase, the trunk shows elongation, suggesting a reduced curvature of the spine in this region, accompanied by a downward movement of the neck. However, we consistently observed a shortening of the neck segment, indicating flexion of the cervical spine. Correlation analyses suggest that these changes are associated with the horses’ level of competition, with more pronounced basculing observed in horses with higher competition levels.