Can Video Annotation Software With Minimal Standardization Be Used as a Back-Up for a Marker-Free Motion Tracking...

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Sports Science
• Human Movement Analysis

Background:

• Marker-free motion tracking systems offer advanced capabilities for analyzing human movement.
• Video annotation software presents a potentially accessible alternative for motion analysis.
• Evaluating the agreement between different motion analysis technologies is crucial for reliable data collection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the agreement between a marker-free motion tracking system (PERCH) and free video annotation software (KINOVEA) for measuring barbell thruster velocity.
• To assess the viability of KINOVEA as a backup system with minimal standardization.
• To determine if participant demographics can improve the predictive accuracy of KINOVEA.

Main Methods:

• 10 men and 10 women performed a circuit including barbell thrusters during a supplement intervention.
• Barbell velocity was monitored using PERCH (frontal plane) and KINOVEA (video analysis).
• 1,000 repetitions were randomly selected for comparison between the two systems.

Main Results:

• While no significant difference in mean velocity was found, KINOVEA explained only 2.6% of PERCH variance.
• Discrepancies between systems increased with higher velocities.
• Combining KINOVEA with participant demographics improved prediction by 13.4% but agreement remained inconsistent.

Conclusions:

• KINOVEA, even with demographic data, is not interchangeable with PERCH for accurate barbell velocity monitoring.
• The free software KINOVEA can serve as a supplementary tool or backup when primary tracking systems fail.
• This approach offers a practical solution for data collection when high-precision tracking is unavailable.