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The validity of the SmartJump contact mat
Tom C Reeve1, Christopher J Tyler
1Department of Life Sciences, Whitelands College, University of Roehampton, London, United Kingdom. t.reeve@roehampton.ac.uk
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
|July 31, 2012
Summary
The SmartJump contact mat overestimates vertical jump height (VJH) and peak power (PP) compared to force platform methods. These discrepancies highlight the need for careful consideration when using contact mats for performance assessment.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Biomechanics
- Human Movement Analysis
Background:
- Accurate measurement of vertical jump height (VJH) and peak power (PP) is crucial for athletic performance evaluation.
- Contact mats are commonly used for VJH and PP assessment, but their validity requires scrutiny.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish the criterion validity of the SmartJump contact mat for assessing VJH and PP.
- To compare VJH and PP measurements obtained from a contact mat against a force platform.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-three participants performed three types of maximal vertical jumps (CMJ, CMJA, SJ).
- Simultaneous data collection using a SmartJump contact mat and a force platform.
- VJH calculated via time in air (TIA) from both devices; PP calculated using validated equations.
Main Results:
- The SmartJump contact mat significantly overestimated VJH and PP across all jump types compared to force platform methods (p < 0.001).
- Discrepancies were observed between TIA(mat), TIA(platform), and TOV(platform) calculations for VJH.
Conclusions:
- The SmartJump contact mat demonstrates criterion invalidity for VJH and PP assessment when compared to a force platform.
- Practitioners should be aware of potential overestimations and consider the implications for performance monitoring and training prescription.
