Extreme Sports Research Articles

Biomechanical analysis and optimization of sports action training in virtual reality (VR) environment

Over the past years, virtual reality (VR) has become much more popular. VR combines several technologies to provide an immersive digital environment. This environment allows users to engage and react to their actions, creating a virtual world where users feel more present. In biomechanical analysis, researchers analyze the physical characteristics of biological tissues and model the relationship between tissue form and function. Utilizing VR headsets, motion-tracking apparatus, and realistic virtual worlds that simulate actual sports situations are all part of virtual sports training. VR lacks realism, which can be related to the absence of sensory input, making it unsuitable for training fine motor skills. The research aims to perform biomechanical analysis and optimize sports action training inside a VR setting. A mountain gazelle optimizer fine-tuned adjustable convolution neural network (MGO-ACNN) is proposed to examine the joint angle selections utilized by sports action. In this study, human motion image data are utilized to capture various angles of the training action. The data was preprocessed using a Wiener Filter (WF) for the obtained data. Analyzing spatial frequency and orientation in images for feature extraction is accomplished using the Gabor Filter (GF). This approach incorporates VR simulations to provide a more regulated and immersive setting for joint angle analysis during sports training. The proposed method is implemented using Python software. The result demonstrated by the proposed method significantly outperforms the existing algorithms. The performance parameters for accuracy (99.73%), precision (99.75%), recall (99.73%), and F1-score (99.72%) are assessed in this study. The VR experiments indicate that optimal sports preparation involves a sports action while maintaining a batting speed consistent with the joint to lower the center of gravity. This research highlights the more effective, personalized sports training system, leveraging VR to simulate real-world conditions while providing detailed biomechanical insights.

The Application of Carl Jung’s Thinking to Action Sports: A Skateboarding Case Study

ABSTRACT This paper contributes to the development of psychoanalytical theory in sport philosophy. It addresses the work of Carl Jung and notes the paucity of discussion on his thinking in the realm of sport. Jung’s thought is proposed as a fertile realm for analysis of action sports through a case study of skateboarding. The archetype of the trickster is presented as a productive trope to frame skateboarding and attend to some of its conceptual ambiguities. Addressing symbolism, the taxonomy of skateboarding is presented as liminal, corresponding to attention between the poles of polluted urban streets and the effervescent lightness of the air. The trickster archetype is further explored in the frame of urban sociology and the collective unconscious, and through the therapeutic possibilities of skateboarding as a tool in individuation. The article concludes by highlighting the potential for Jung’s thought in further discussion on action sport and sport more broadly.

A Human Pose Estimation Method Based on the BlazePose Model

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the performance of the BlazePose model in human pose estimation for sports actions to improve the accuracy and computational efficiency of the model. Methods: The research employed a variety of datasets for training and evaluating the model, investigating the generalization capability of the model under different experimental conditions. Detection and tracking were carried out through the two-stage mechanism of the BlazePose model, identifying the human figure contours and initially predicting the key points, and then refining the positions of the key points through the tracking module. Different parameters such as model complexity and key point smoothing were set, and the steps including image preprocessing, feature extraction, key point detection, naming, and skeleton construction were conducted. Results: The research outcomes yielded the two-dimensional keypoints of single-frame human body images and the construction of 3D coordinate models, and obtained the visualization line charts of PCK experimental data. Through the comparison of PCK scores of different models, it was concluded that on the basketball Dataset, the performance of BlazePose was superior to that of OpenPose, particularly in terms of FPS performance. Although the PCK score of the lightweight version of BlazePose was slightly lower, its FPS performance was higher, making it suitable for scenarios with high requirements for speed. Furthermore, BlazePose effectively reduced the model complexity by offering models of different complexities and using occlusion simulation in training, without sacrificing too much accuracy. Conclusion: This research presents the efficacy of lightweight neural networks in real-time human pose estimation and, through further experimental analyses, investigates the possibilities of enhancing their performance advantages and application effects.

Osteochondritis Dissecans of the Capitellum: Influence of Activity on Lesion Location Within a Zone of Propensity.

There may be an association between repetitive stress on the elbow and capitellar osteochondritis dissecans (COCD). The influence of activity on the characteristics or specific location of the lesion within a capitellar zone of propensity remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate COCD in gymnasts and baseball players compared with a non-upper extremity (non-UE) sport COCD cohort. It was hypothesized that activity would influence presentation and lesion location and characteristics. Cross-sectional study, Level of evidence, 3. Consecutive patients presenting with COCD treated in a tertiary sports medicine practice between March 2006 and March 2021 were reviewed. Demographic and imaging lesion characteristics were recorded. The sagittal inclination angle position of the lesion center relative to the humeral shaft was recorded. Intra- and interrater reliability was confirmed (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.808; intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.824, respectively). Participants were analyzed by activity. A total of 126 elbows were identified: 68 in gymnasts, 31 in baseball players, and 27 in patients with no history of UE sports. The mean age of the participants was 12.5 years (range, 8-18 years). All (100%) unilateral cases of osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) in baseball players occurred in the dominant throwing arm, compared with less hand-dominance correlation in gymnasts (64%) and non-UE athletes (67%). Significantly, 14 of the 20 (70%) patients with bilateral OCD were gymnasts (P = .036). In non-UE athletes, lesions occurred at a mean sagittal inclination angle of 52.7° (±13.8°), with a mean lateral containment of 4.7 (±2.1) mm. In gymnasts, lesions occurred more posteriorly at 41.2° (±14.9°), with a lateral containment of 3.6 (±1.9) mm. In baseball players, COCDs occurred at 55.1° (±11.9°), with a lateral containment of 2.5 (±1.6) mm. These more posterior lesion positions in gymnasts (P = .001) and lesser lesion containment noted in gymnasts (P = .015) and baseball players (P < .001) were significant. Compared with COCD lesions in adolescents with no history of UE sports, gymnastics participation (impact weightbearing) correlated with a higher rate of bilateral lesion formation and a more posterior (extended) lesion position. Baseball participation (resulting in valgus shear forces in the elbow) resulted in a sagittal position similar to non-UE lesions, but more lateral and with less containment.

Advanced Lignin‐Based Hydrogels with Superior Stiffness, Toughness, and Sensing Capabilities

AbstractHydrogels, known for their 3D polymer networks and high water content, are widely used in applications ranging from agriculture to tissue engineering and soft electronics. However, balancing toughness and stiffness in hydrogels remains a significant challenge due to the inverse relationship between these properties. In this study, a dual‐network hydrogel is developed composed of lignin/poly(N,N‐dimethylacrylamide) (PDMA) and sodium alginate/Ca2⁺ (SA/Ca2⁺) using a solvent exchange method. This hydrogel incorporates multi‐level energy dissipative structures, resulting in both high stiffness and toughness. Specifically, the DL/S0.1Ca0.5 hydrogel exhibited impressive mechanical performance, including a tensile stress of 3.7 MPa, a tensile strain of 1100%, and a tensile modulus of 8.7 MPa, along with remarkably high toughness of 97,000 J m−2 and work of extension of 25 MJ m−3. Additionally, it demonstrates exceptional rupture and collision resistance, outstanding conductivity of 19.7 S m−1, and high strain sensitivity with a gauge factor up to 7.78. These features highlight its potential for use in extreme sports protection and wearable sensors, representing a significant advancement in the development of multifunctional hydrogels.

PCNet: a human pose compensation network based on incremental learning for sports actions estimation

Human pose estimation has a wide range of applications. Existing methods perform well in conventional domains, but there are certain defects when they are applied to sports activities. The first is lack of estimation of the extremity posture, making it impossible to comprehensively evaluate the movement posture; the second is insufficient occlusion handling. Therefore, we propose a human pose compensation network based on incremental learning, which obtains shared weights to extract detailed features under the premise of limited extremity training data. We propose a higher-order feature compensator (HOF-compensator) to embed the attributes of the extremity into the torso and limbs topology structure, building a complete higher-order feature. In addition, to improve the occlusion handling performance, we propose an occlusion feature enhancement attention mechanism (OFE-attention) that can identify occluded keypoints and enhance attention to occlusion areas. We design comparative experiments on three public datasets and a self-built sports dataset, achieving the highest mean accuracy among all comparative methods. In addition, we design a series of ablation analysis and visualization displays to verify that our method performs best in sports pose estimation.

Determining Validity and Reliability of an In-Field Performance Analysis System for Swimming.

To permit the collection of quantitative data on start, turn and clean swimming performances in any swimming pool, the aims of the present study were to (1) validate a mobile in-field performance analysis system (PAS) against the Kistler starting block equipped with force plates and synchronized to a 2D camera system (KiSwim, Kistler, Winterthur, Switzerland), (2) assess the PAS's interrater reliability and (3) provide percentiles as reference values for elite junior and adult swimmers. Members of the Swiss junior and adult national swimming teams including medalists at Olympic Games, World and European Championships volunteered for the present study (n = 47; age: 17 ± 4 [range: 13-29] years; World Aquatics Points: 747 ± 100 [range: 527-994]). All start and turn trials were video-recorded and analyzed using two methods: PAS and KiSwim. The PAS involves one fixed view camera recording overwater start footage and a sport action camera that is moved underwater along the side of the pool perpendicular to the swimming lane on a 1.55 m long monostand. From a total of 25 parameters determined with the PAS, 16 are also measurable with the KiSwim, of which 7 parameters showed satisfactory validity (r = 0.95-1.00, p < 0.001, %-difference < 1%). Interrater reliability was determined for all 25 parameters of the PAS and reliability was accepted for 21 of those start, turn and swimming parameters (ICC = 0.78-1.00). The percentiles for all valid and reliable parameters provide reference values for assessment of start, turn and swimming performance for junior and adult national team swimmers. The in-field PAS provides a mobile method to assess start, turn and clean swimming performance with high validity and reliability. The analysis template and manual included in the present article aid the practical application of the PAS in research and development projects as well as academic works.

The emergence of new mountain biking media practices: toward a culture of inclusive mountain biking

Mountain biking has grown rapidly in the past thirty years, yet only 20% of participants in the UK are women. Prior research on media representations in action sports identifies its role in reproducing masculine sporting cultures. Focus on mountain biking is limited, and has failed to give voice to women’s experiences with the sport’s media, nor explore the entanglement between sport and media practices. This study takes a practice theory approach. We theorize women mountain biker’s media practices, bringing these in dialogue with a content analysis of two online mountain biking media sites. We find the media continues to anchor male authority and reinforce hypermasculinity, falling short of its transformative potential. Women disengage and can feel disconnected from mountain biking, yet al.so reject and curate an alternative culture through online media practices which opens up spaces for new schemas of meaning and practice performances to emerge.

An applied cognitive task analysis investigation of professional judgement and decision-making in a small group of high-level, UK-based caving instructors

ABSTRACT The professional judgement and decision-making processes of adventure sports coaches’ leadership practice is a growing area of research. However, the PJDM and underpinning epistemology of caving instructors has recived limited research focus. The decision-making practice of professionals working in complex and constrained environments has significant transferability to domains such as rescue and emergency services. Consequently, this paper investigates the leadership practice of a purposive sample of 3 UK based caving instructors, utilising an Applied Cognitive Task Analysis to access expert cognition. The study aimed specifically to examine the decision-making processes of this sub-group of outdoor professionals who work in difficult, multifaceted and demanding environments. Results supported and built upon previous work in adventure sports, specifically in confirming the complexity of judgement and decision-making underground. In particular, decision-making creates high cognitive loads because of environmental factors inherent in extended caving journeys. Loads are assuaged by the application of heuristics and planning, but naturalistic decision-making processes remain numerous and multifaceted. Findings have implications for National Governing Body instructor training programme design, with particular reference to the development of decision-making expertise in complex environments.

Creativity in sports: The crucial role of motor skills

What enables athletes to perform creative actions in their sports? In the last two decades, sports studies have predominantly assumed that divergent thinking (DT) is the key ingredient and have developed sport-specific DT tests to assess players’ creativity. However, a fundamental question remains: Do players who score high on sport-specific DT tests perform more creative actions on the field? The DT approach in sports has recently been challenged by the hypothesis that creative actions are primarily enabled (or limited) by players’ motor skill repertoires. Here, predictions based on the DT and motor skill approach are tested in the domain of soccer. Studies 1a and b tested male under-12 players, and Study 2 tested female under-19 players of a professional soccer club. All three studies indicated no correlation between the creativity of actions performed on the field (rated with the Consensual Assessment Technique) and players’ soccer-specific DT. In contrast, moderate to high correlations between on-field creativity and motor skills were found. These results challenge the DT approach in sports and the validity of sport-specific DT tests, highlighting the crucial role of sensorimotor skills in performing creative actions in sports or other domains in which creative performance is embodied through motor actions.

Paddling as ‘Pelagic Postcolonialism’: Pacific voyaging resurgence, ocean justice and outrigger canoe racing (Va’a) in Fiji

This article presents an exploratory study of va’a, or outrigger canoe racing, in Fiji, based on 13 semi-structured interviews with paddlers and administrators. The sport, which is deeply embedded in Pacific seafaring heritage, emerged in Fiji in the 1980s against the historical background of the region’s decolonisation. The paddling community subsequently developed notable inclusivity in terms of gender, ethnicity and age, in contrast to the gendered and racialised nature of dominant sports in the country, notwithstanding persisting geographical/class disparity. Fiji paddlers have cultivated va’a into a multifaceted sporting practice that simultaneously constitutes a highly competitive modern game, a hip and cool recreational activity, and a cultural movement underpinned by ocean-centred regionalism and an agentic community coalesced around the shared pursuit of ocean justice. Whilst their active involvement in ocean/climate action parallels the environmental activism of nature-based lifestyle sports in other global locations, Fiji paddlers’ engagement with and stewardship of the ocean are inseparable from postcolonial resistance to the subjugation of the Pacific Ocean, knowledges and cultures, a direct consequence of which is the ocean/climate crisis, an unprecedented existential threat to the Pacific Islands today. The distinct nature of their paddling practice may be described as a ‘pelagic postcolonialism’.

Psychological traits of extreme sport participants: a scoping review.

Extreme sports have increased in popularity, particularly over the past two decades. Theories explaining participation in extreme sports tend to focus on risk. Consequently, extreme sports participants are often characterized by an accentuated desire for risk and abnormal personal traits, but the positive aspects of extreme sports are often neglected in the literature. This scoping review summarizes extreme sport motives, emotions and personal characteristics. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) Checklist, three databases were searched (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, SportDiscus and, PsycInfo) on 20th April 2023. Studies were included if they were originally articles written in English and examined psychology traits in extreme sport participants. In total, 39 manuscripts met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed in the present review. There is no unique profile for individuals involved in extreme sports. Risk and fear are considered natural characteristic of participation, and many positive aspects are associated with involvement in extreme sports (e.g., organization, planning, confidence). The quality of experience is often reported to justify extreme sport participation. Changes in emotions and motives characterized the reversal theory, which in combination with the flow approach, could explain the participation in extreme activities. A dynamic ecological approach considering the interaction between individuals and the environment should be adopted to understand individual motives, behaviour and emotions.

A Lifestyle Sport Training On Cognitive Outcomes In Children With ADHD: A Randomized Controlled Trial

A Lifestyle Sport Training On Cognitive Outcomes In Children With ADHD: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The Application of Deep Learning in Sports Training

In response to the problems of overfitting, susceptibility to interference information, and insufficient feature expression ability in existing deep learning methods for sports action recognition, the author proposes a deep learning sports action recognition method that integrates attention mechanism. This method proposes a video data augmentation algorithm in data preprocessing to reduce the risk of model overfitting. Then, during the video frame sampling process, the existing sampling algorithms are improved to effectively suppress the influence of interference information. In the special section, the network residual consolidation is proposed to improve the feature extraction capacity of the structure. The Long Term Time Transform (LSTM) network is used to solve the problem of the global correlation of the spatial correlation, and the classification algorithm is achieved by Softmax. and the classification algorithm is proposed. The experimental results show that the recognition rates of this method on UCFYouTube, KTH, and HMDB-51 data are 96.73%, 98.07%, and 64.82%, respectively.

Beyond 4 × 4: Paramotoring a novel approach to accelerate plant exploration in challenging environments

Societal Impact StatementAddressing the burning environmental crisis, we explore how the ‘extreme sport’ of paramotoring can enhance and accelerate scientific exploration with minimal environmental impact compared to off‐road vehicles. Our study demonstrates the scientific potential of paramotoring to access fragile desert ecosystems and investigate unrecorded habitats and species. Comparisons with 4 × 4s showed significant reductions in CO2‐eq emissions for longer missions and ninefold faster travel times. Unlike off‐road vehicles, which can damage the equivalent of over one football pitch in area per linear kilometre driven, paramotors cause minimal damage. Integrating extreme sports and science can accelerate data and specimen collection for more effective habitat conservation. This has the potential to spark discoveries and engagement across diverse communities.Summary In the face of an urgent climate and environmental crisis, we explore the potential of paramotoring to expand scientific reach and collection capability without the environmental harm associated with off‐road vehicles. In Peru's fog oasis desert, we brought together paramotor experts and scientists to conduct missions involving monitoring, plant sampling, surveying, sensor placement and transportation. We compared the environmental impact and time taken by paramotoring with surveys conducted using off‐road vehicles and walking. Shorter paramotor missions showed small differences in CO2 equivalents and time efficiency compared to off‐road vehicles. However, longer missions (28 km from base camp) revealed up to nine times faster travel and two thirds less CO2 equivalent emissions. Notably, off‐road vehicles left a substantial environmental footprint (700 to 8000 m2 per km), whilst paramotors had a minimal impact, with a tiny surface ‘footprint’ of just a few square metres, representing orders of magnitude (1000 to 10,000) less environmental impact. With basic training in identification and sampling, paramotorists collected plant specimens that are invaluable for ongoing and future scientific study. Whilst logistical and safety challenges in transporting scientists via paramotors need further investigation, the benefits, especially compared to surface travel, are evident. Integrating extreme sports into scientific endeavour promises wider and more comprehensive exploration, new discoveries and increased engagement across diverse communities—and in summary—offers significant potential to address urgent environmental challenges.

The Impact Of The Recreational Flow Experience On The Perception Of Wellness Among Individuals Engaged In Extreme Sports

The Impact Of The Recreational Flow Experience On The Perception Of Wellness Among Individuals Engaged In Extreme Sports

Editorial

Shortly after the fantastic 2024 Olympics in Paris, we would like to invite you to take a longer peek at the newest issue of the Archives of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, starting with “Dark Side of Personality and Extreme Sports. Case of skydivers” by P. Próchniak and A. Próchniak. And although skydiving is not exactly (yet?) among the Olympic Games, the exploration of personalities of sportspersons proves a compelling snippet in the quest into understanding why it is only some and not others that succeed in a particular discipline, and whether those features that shape them affect their everyday lives, too.

Snowboarding while Black: race, aesthetics, and Jamaican migrant workers

ABSTRACT How snowboarding intersects with race in a Canadian mountain resort is explored in this research note. Snowboarding is now globalised but emerged in the USA in the 1960s as an alternative lifestyle sport. Race was embedded in its birth as then, as now, snowboarding is dominated by privileged White participants who are mostly male. The White dominance is masked as whiteness is invisibilized by claims of being neutral or colour-blind. Yet, a Black presence surrounds snowboarding. The second theme examines snowboarding’s commodification of Black aesthetics. It uses Black music and urban fashion to enhance and market its supposedly radical or coolness credentials to its suburban White audience. The mining of Black aesthetics is unacknowledged and thus whitewashes the economic exploitation of Black culture. Migrant workers are the backbone of snow resorts, and the third theme examines this use of transnational labour. It probes why Australians are the visible workers on the snow-kissed slopes and front desks, while Jamaicans are the invisible labour in catering and housekeeping. The use of migrant labour is racialised and further reifies the whiteness of snowboarding. Black snowboarders, riding the snowy slopes for leisure, expose and disrupt the politics of race and place in snowboarding.

Dark Side of Personality and Extreme Sports. Case of skydivers

Aim of the studyThe study aimed to identify the personality traits of skydivers from the Dark Side of Personality model.Subject or material and methodsTo identify the Dark Side of Personality traits of 40 Polish skydivers (M age = 26.70, SD = 7.80) and 42 low-risk sport athletes (controls, M age = 25.50, SD = 6.60), several scales were used. These were the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (TriPM), Impulsive Behavior Scale (UPPS-P), Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Questionnaire (NARQ), and Mach-IV Questionnaire.ResultsThe skydivers group had a significantly higher mean of Admiration, Boldness, Positive impulsivity and Sensation seeking than the control group. In addition, an exploratory factor analysis was conducted for the scales of the Dark Side of Personality. It revealed four basic factors: Impulsivity, Social Insensitivity, Planning action, and Thrill Seeking.DiscussionAll four factors discriminate between the study groups but the coefficient of discrimination is high for the Impulsivity and Thrill Seeking factors and lower for the other two factors. It means that Impulsivity and Thrill Seeking are probably the most important factors in understanding extreme sports in the context of the Dark Triad of Personality. The search for new and powerful experiences, combined with a lack of control over one’s own behaviour are the main determinants of involvement in extreme sports.ConclusionsThe results obtained suggest that skydivers do not reveal pathological tendencies. Their participation in extreme sports may be an expression of normal personality and temperamental traits that do not interfere with everyday functioning.

A survey of video-based human action recognition in team sports

Over the past few decades, numerous studies have focused on identifying and recognizing human actions using machine learning and computer vision techniques. Video-based human action recognition (HAR) aims to detect actions from video sequences automatically. This can cover simple gestures to complex actions involving multiple people interacting with objects. Actions in team sports exhibit a different nature compared to other sports, since they tend to occur at a faster pace and involve more human-human interactions. As a result, research has typically not focused on the challenges of HAR in team sports. This paper comprehensively summarises HAR-related research and applications with specific focus on team sports such as football (soccer), basketball and Australian rules football. Key datasets used for HAR-related team sports research are explored. Finally, common challenges and future work are discussed, and possible research directions identified.