0000000000614221
AUTHOR
Benedikt Fasel
A new testing device for the role of the trunk in force production and in balance control in disabled sitting athletes
In cross-country sit-skiing all athletes compete in a sitting position, but some of them have the ability to control their trunk more than others. The trunk plays an essential role in two performance determinants: propulsion generation and balance maintenance. The aim of the study is to design a new testing device assessing athletes’ responses to these propulsion determinants. The new device was composed of a seat surrounded by a sensorized aluminum frame. To assess propulsion generation, two force sensors were mounted in the anterior and posterior side of the frame, while two force sensors were embedded in two ropes elongated from the top of the frame. To measure trunk control, the device …
Evaluating objective measures of impairment to trunk strength and control for cross-country sit skiing
AbstractIn Paralympic cross-country sit skiing, athlete classification is performed by an expert panel, so it may be affected by subjectivity. An evidence-based classification is required, in which objective measures of impairment must be identified. The purposes of this study were: (i) to evaluate the reliability of 5 trunk strength measures and 18 trunk control measures developed for the purposes of classification; (ii) to rank the objective measures, according to the largest effects on performance. Using a new testing device, 14 elite sit-skiers performed two upright seated press tests and one simulated poling test to evaluate trunk strength. They were also subjected to unpredictable bal…