Associations Between Centre of Pressure Variables and Performance Penalties in Acrobatic Gymnastics-Feasibility Study

Objectives: Postural stability is a key component of Acrobatic Gymnastics performance and can be assessed using centre of pressure (COP) variables. This feasibility study provides the first analysis of postural stability during transitional pyramids in Acrobatic Gymnastics by investigating the associations between COP variables and judges' penalties for body segment positions and postural instability across different phases. Moreover, it also examines the role of each foot in postural stability during performance. Methods: Eight acrobatic gymnasts (6 females and 2 males; 4 base and 4 top gymnasts) completed five repetitions of a transitional pyramid, comprising a total of twenty repetitions. However, only eighteen repetitions were eligible for analysis. COP variables (amplitude, peak velocity, and ellipse length, width and area) were extracted during the three phases of the pyramid, and judges' penalties were obtained from the evaluation of two international acrobatic judges. Results: Moderate associations were identified between COP variables and judges' penalties (p < 0.05). Phase 1 yielded consistently lower values for COP variables compared to Phases 2 and 3 (p < 0.05). Asymmetries were also observed for selected COP variables, with the left foot exhibiting higher values compared to the right foot (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The findings of this study support the applicability of the proposed approach and data analysis procedures for future large-scale interventions. Different patterns of associations were observed between COP variables and judges' penalties across the three phases of the transitional pyramid. Asymmetries were shown between right and left foot.