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Model variations for tracking the trunk during sports testing in a motion capture lab
Sophia Ulman1,2, Alex Loewen1, Ashley Erdman1
1Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Center, Scottish Rite for Children, Dallas, TX, United States.
Frontiers in Sports and Active Living
|August 5, 2024
Summary
Adjusting sternum marker placement improves trunk motion tracking for athletes. The Mid-Sternum model offers excellent agreement for gait and drop vertical jump (DVJ) analysis, ensuring consistent athlete monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Sports Science
- Motion Capture Technology
Background:
- Motion capture is increasingly used for athlete monitoring and return-to-play protocols.
- Standardized trunk kinematics modeling is crucial for consistent data interpretation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the influence of adjusted sternum marker placement and removal of potentially occluded markers on trunk kinematics.
- To compare different trunk marker set variations against a definition model during gait and drop vertical jump (DVJ).
Main Methods:
- Eighteen participants performed gait and DVJ tasks.
- Trunk kinematics were calculated using a definition model and three variations (Mid-Sternum, No-Thorax).
- Intraclass correlation coefficients assessed model agreement.
Main Results:
- The Mid-Sternum model, with a marker placed at the midpoint between the xiphoid process and jugular notch, showed the least discrepancies and excellent agreement.
- The No-Thorax model (omitting the thorax marker) demonstrated the largest kinematic differences during the DVJ.
Conclusions:
- Marker placement consistency is vital for reliable trunk motion tracking in dynamic activities.
- Adjusting the xiphoid process marker superiorly is recommended before data collection.
- A recommended trunk marker set includes jugular notch, mid-sternum, and T1/T10 spinous processes.
