Effects of acoustic feedback training in elite-standard Para-Rowing

The Effect of Internal and external imagery on learning badminton long serve skill: The role of visual and audiovisual imagery

This study aimed to examine the impact of internal and external audiovisual imagery on the learning of the badminton long serve skill. A lot of 42 right-handed novice women were selected using availability sampling. Participants were categorized into four groups based on their scores from the visual imagery ability questionnaire and Bucknell auditory questionnaire: Visual-Internal imagery, Visual-External imagery, AudioVisual-Internal imagery and AudioVisual-External imagery groups. To generate an auditory pattern, the shoulder joint's angular velocity of a skilled individual was recorded and translated into sound based on frequency characteristic changes. Subjects underwent four sessions of 40 trials each and subsequently participated in retention and transfer tests. Performance accuracy of the badminton long serve was assessed using the Scott and Fox standard test and repeated measures ANOVA was employed to compare performance across groups during test stages. While no significant differences were noted between groups during the acquisition stages, indicated that subjects in the AudioVisual imagery conditions outperformed those in Visual imagery during the retention test. Additionally, the AudioVisual-Internal Imagery group demonstrated superior performance compared to other groups. Internal imagery groups also exhibited better performance in the later stages of acquisition, retention and transfer tests compared to external imagery groups. These findings suggest that the incorporation of audiovisual imagery utilizing movement sonification, alongside physical practice, improves skill development more effectively than visual imagery alone.

The Effects of Motionless Interventions Based on Visual-Auditory Instructions With Sonification on Learning a Rhythmic Motor Skill

Our aim in this study was to investigate the effects of motionless interventions, based on visual-auditory integration with a sonification technique, on the learning a complex rhythmic motor skill. We recruited 22 male participants with high physical fitness and provided them four acquisition sessions in which to practice hurdle running, based on a visual-auditory instructional pattern. Next, we divided participants into three groups: visual-auditory, auditory, and control. In six sessions of motionless interventions, with no physical practice, participants in the visual-auditory group received a visual-auditory pattern similar to their experience during the acquisition period. The auditory group only listened to the sound of sonified movements of an expert hurdler, and the control group received no instructional interventions. Finally, participants in all three groups underwent post-intervention and transfer tests to determine their errors in the spatial and relative timing of their leading leg's knee angular displacement. Both visual-auditory and auditory groups had significantly less spatial error than the control group. However, there were no significant group differences in relative timing in any test phase. These results indicate that the use of the sonification technique in the form of visual-auditory instruction adapted to the athletes' needs benefitted perception-sensory capacities to improve motor skill learning.

A Scoping Review with Bibliometric Analysis of Para-Rowing: State of the Art and Future Directions

Para-rowing is a format of rowing practiced by people with different types of disabilities, thanks to adapted equipment set-ups and regulations. Para-rowing made its debut recently at the 2008 Paralympic Games. According to the mandate of the “International Paralympic Committee”, para-rowers should be enabled to pursue sporting excellence. Therefore, rigorous research is needed in terms of well-designed, high-quality studies. To the best of our knowledge, there are no systematic appraisals of the body of scholarly evidence in the field of para-rowing. As such, a scoping review enhanced by bibliometric analyses was carried out to provide a comprehensive synthesis of knowledge related to para-rowing for the perusal of practitioners and athletes. By mining eighteen major databases, 17 studies were retained in the present review. The included studies were found to focus on a range of aspects involving health, the etiology of injuries (n = 5), psychological and physiological responses (n = 5), performance, biomechanical analysis (n = 4), and new analytical approaches for kinematic assessments and predictions of mechanical outputs in para-rowers (n = 3). The scholarly community on para-rowing consists of 78 researchers, 16 (20.51%) of whom are highly interconnected. The most prolific author was Smoljanović T., from Croatia, with three items/documents. In total, 93.6% of scholars have authored one single document. Topological features indicated a highly fragmented and dispersed, poorly connected community characterized by a high number of clusters and a low strength of connections. In terms of publication years, the first scholarly article dates back to 2008, with four articles (23.5%) published in the current year, showing an increasing interest in this para-sports discipline. Finally, gaps in current research on para-rowing were identified in terms of overlooked topics, including sports nutrition, doping, and psychological aspects in para-rowers other than those with visual impairment.

Using sound to understand protein sequence data: new sonification algorithms for protein sequences and multiple sequence alignments

BACKGROUND

The use of sound to represent sequence data-sonification-has great potential as an alternative and complement to visual representation, exploiting features of human psychoacoustic intuitions to convey nuance more effectively. We have created five parameter-mapping sonification algorithms that aim to improve knowledge discovery from protein sequences and small protein multiple sequence alignments. For two of these algorithms, we investigated their effectiveness at conveying information. To do this we focussed on subjective assessments of user experience. This entailed a focus group session and survey research by questionnaire of individuals engaged in bioinformatics research.

RESULTS

For single protein sequences, the success of our sonifications for conveying features was supported by both the survey and focus group findings. For protein multiple sequence alignments, there was limited evidence that the sonifications successfully conveyed information. Additional work is required to identify effective algorithms to render multiple sequence alignment sonification useful to researchers. Feedback from both our survey and focus groups suggests future directions for sonification of multiple alignments: animated visualisation indicating the column in the multiple alignment as the sonification progresses, user control of sequence navigation, and customisation of the sound parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

Sonification approaches undertaken in this work have shown some success in conveying information from protein sequence data. Feedback points out future directions to build on the sonification approaches outlined in this paper. The effectiveness assessment process implemented in this work proved useful, giving detailed feedback and key approaches for improvement based on end-user input. The uptake of similar user experience focussed effectiveness assessments could also help with other areas of bioinformatics, for example in visualisation.

Effects of biofeedback on whole lower limb joint kinematics and external kinetics

Biofeedback (BFb) is a useful tool to accelerate the skill development process. Limited research has applied BFb to the whole lower-limb in a complex skill therefore the aim of this research was to assess the effectiveness of a biofeedback intervention targeting whole lower limb kinematics. Thirty-two healthy participants were randomized to a BFb (n = 16) and a Control group (n = 16). Participants visited a motion capture laboratory on three occasions during one week, and returned for retention testing at 4-6 weeks. Following introduction to a novel lunge-touch task, visual BFb on lower limb joint kinematic extension angular velocities (ω) and timing were provided following each lunge. BFb was effective in increasing Hipω (F = 3.746, p = 0.03) and Kneeω (F = 10.241, p = 0.01). Peak Ankle_ω remained unchanged (F = 1.537, p = 0.23, η² = 0.05), however Peak Ankle_θ (F = 10.915, p < 0.001, η² = 0.27) and Ankle_ROM (F = 9.543, p < 0.001, η² = 0.24) significantly increased. Despite kinematic changes, there were no significant changes in any external kinetics. No significant correlations were found between Hipω, Kneeω or Ankleω and horizontal impulse (Impulse_Y: r = 0.20, p = 0.26; r = -0.11, p = 0.24; and r = 0.22, p = 0.28, respectively). Findings demonstrate that BFb can be used to alter multiple kinematic variables in a complex skill, but do not necessarily alter associated kinetic variables not directly targeted by BFb.

Auditory Coding of Reaching Space

Reaching movements are usually initiated by visual events and controlled visually and kinesthetically. Lately, studies have focused on the possible benefit of auditory information for localization tasks, and also for movement control. This explorative study aimed to investigate if it is possible to code reaching space purely by auditory information. Therefore, the precision of reaching movements to merely acoustically coded target positions was analyzed. We studied the efficacy of acoustically effect-based and of additional acoustically performance-based instruction and feedback and the role of visual movement control. Twenty-four participants executed reaching movements to merely acoustically presented, invisible target positions in three mutually perpendicular planes in front of them. Effector-endpoint trajectories were tracked using inertial sensors. Kinematic data regarding the three spatial dimensions and the movement velocity were sonified. Thus, acoustic instruction and real-time feedback of the movement trajectories and the target position of the hand were provided. The subjects were able to align their reaching movements to the merely acoustically instructed targets. Reaching space can be coded merely acoustically, additional visual movement control does not enhance reaching performance. On the basis of these results, a remarkable benefit of kinematic movement acoustics for the neuromotor rehabilitation of everyday motor skills can be assumed.

Dual Mode Gait Sonification for Rehabilitation After Unilateral Hip Arthroplasty

The pattern of gait after hip arthroplasty strongly affects regeneration and quality of life. Acoustic feedback could be a supportive method for patients to improve their walking ability and to regain a symmetric and steady gait. In this study, a new gait sonification method with two different modes—real-time feedback (RTF) and instructive model sequences (IMS)—is presented. The impact of the method on gait symmetry and steadiness of 20 hip arthroplasty patients was investigated. Patients were either assigned to a sonification group (SG) (n = 10) or a control group (CG) (n = 10). All of them performed 10 gait training sessions (TS) lasting 20 min, in which kinematic data were measured using an inertial sensor system. Results demonstrate converging step lengths of the affected and unaffected leg over time in SG compared with a nearly parallel development of both legs in CG. Within the SG, a higher variability of stride length and stride time was found during the RTF training mode in comparison to the IMS mode. Therefore, the presented dual mode method provides the potential to support gait rehabilitation as well as home-based gait training of orthopedic patients with various restrictions.

A Review on the Relationship Between Sound and Movement in Sports and Rehabilitation

The role of auditory information on perceptual-motor processes has gained increased interest in sports and psychology research in recent years. Numerous neurobiological and behavioral studies have demonstrated the close interaction between auditory and motor areas of the brain, and the importance of auditory information for movement execution, control, and learning. In applied research, artificially produced acoustic information and real-time auditory information have been implemented in sports and rehabilitation to improve motor performance in athletes, healthy individuals, and patients affected by neurological or movement disorders. However, this research is scattered both across time and scientific disciplines. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview about the interaction between movement and sound and review the current literature regarding the effect of natural movement sounds, movement sonification, and rhythmic auditory information in sports and motor rehabilitation. The focus here is threefold: firstly, we provide an overview of empirical studies using natural movement sounds and movement sonification in sports. Secondly, we review recent clinical and applied studies using rhythmic auditory information and sonification in rehabilitation, addressing in particular studies on Parkinson's disease and stroke. Thirdly, we summarize current evidence regarding the cognitive mechanisms and neural correlates underlying the processing of auditory information during movement execution and its mental representation. The current state of knowledge here reviewed provides evidence of the feasibility and effectiveness of the application of auditory information to improve movement execution, control, and (re)learning in sports and motor rehabilitation. Findings also corroborate the critical role of auditory information in auditory-motor coupling during motor (re)learning and performance, suggesting that this area of clinical and applied research has a large potential that is yet to be fully explored.

The Impact of the Progressive Efficiency Test on a Rowing Ergometer on White Blood Cells Distribution and Clinical Chemistry Changes in Paralympic Rowers During the Preparatory Stage Before the Paralympic Games in Rio, 2016 - A Case Report

There is a large gap in knowledge regarding research on post-exercise blood changes in disabled athletes. There are relatively few data on adaptive mechanisms to exercise in disabled athletes, including disabled rowers. Two rowers from a Polish adaptive rowing settle TAMix2x that qualified for the Paralympic Games in Rio, 2016 took part in this study. They performed a progressive test on a rowing ergometer until exhaustion. The cardiorespiratory fitness measures, complete blood count, white blood cells' distribution and 30 clinical chemistry variables describing laboratory diagnostic profiles and general health were determined. The extreme effort induced changes in all studied metabolites (glucose, creatinine, urea, uric acid, total and direct bilirubin), albumin, total protein levels in both participants. Furthermore, a post-exercise increase in aspartate transaminase activity, yet a 2-fold decrease during the recovery time in both rowers were found. White blood cell count increased 2-fold after the test. The percentages of natural killer cells were higher and total T lymphocytes were lower after the exercise protocol. There were higher percentages of suppressor/cytotoxic and lower percentages of helper/inducer T lymphocyte subsets in both studied rowers. No changes in B lymphocytes distribution were observed. Lack of inflammatory symptoms during the experiment suggests a high level of rowers' biological adaptation to the physical effort. The different changes in physiological, biochemical and immunological variables are related to the adaptive mechanism to physical exercise allowing for improvement of performance.

Effects of Feedback Type and Personality on 2,000-m Ergometer Performance in Female Varsity Collegiate Rowers

Stine, KA, Moxey, JR, Gilbertson, NM, Malin, SK, and Weltman, AL. Effects of feedback type and personality on 2,000-m ergometer performance in female varsity collegiate rowers. J Strength Cond Res 33(8): 2170-2176, 2019-Rowing performance is routinely tested on ergometers, involving visual cues and verbal encouragement, whereas on-water rowing lacks the visual cues. Personality is also hypothesized to influence rowing performance. The purpose was to examine the effects of visual and verbal feedback and to determine the impact of personality on performance. Thirty-eight female collegiate rowers (body mass 75.0 ± 5.7 kg and height 176.6 ± 5.0 cm) were recruited. Participants were asked to complete a progressive continuous graded exercise test, body composition analysis, personality questionnaire (Neo five-factor inventory, version 3), and 2 randomly ordered 2000-m ergometer tests: routine verbal and visual vs. verbal only. Differences between the 2,000-m tests were analyzed with a paired t-test. The relationships among VO2max, body composition, and 2,000-m performance were analyzed with Pearson's Correlations. A 2 × 2 analysis of variance analyzed neuroticism, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness to investigate how personality impacted 2,000-m performance. Statistical significance was set to p ≤ 0.05. The combination of visual plus verbal feedback trended toward improving performance compared with the verbal feedback alone (430.3 ± 8.6, 431.6 ± 8.9 seconds, respectively). High neuroticism negatively impacted 2,000-m performance (p ≤ 0.05). Conscientiousness and agreeableness trended toward improved performance: as conscientiousness and agreeableness increase, time decreases. We conclude that the combination of verbal plus visual feedback tends to yield better 2,000-m performance and that highly conscientious, highly agreeable, and low neurotic athletes outperform their respective counterparts. Using visual plus verbal encouragement while simultaneously targeting personality factors may be a novel strategy to optimize rowers' training.

Textured insoles affect the plantar pressure distribution while elite rowers perform on an indoor rowing machine

INTRODUCTION

During rowing, foot positioning on the foot stretcher is critical to optimise muscle force transmission and boat propulsion. Following the beneficial effects of textured insoles on gait and balance, this study aims at investigating whether passive stimulation of foot mechanoreceptors induced by these insoles may contribute to improving foot loading pattern and symmetry during indoor rowing.

METHODS

Eleven elite rowers were assessed during controlled training on a standard rowing machine while wearing control, low-density or high-density textured insoles. Plantar pressure and knee and trunk kinematics were measured; performance data were recorded from the machine. Insole effect on kinematic parameters, peak and average values of foot force, contact area and position of centre of pressure was assessed with ANOVA and Bonferroni correction for pair-wise comparisons.

RESULTS

A main effect was observed for force and contact area, with the high-density insoles providing greatest values (P<0.035). No interaction was observed between side and insole (P>0.190), even though symmetry was higher with high-density insoles. Kinematics (P = 0.800) and rowing performance were not affected by insole type; a consistent though not statistically significant increase in mean travelled distance was observed for denser insoles (P>0.21).

CONCLUSION

The high-density textured insoles affected foot loading distribution during indoor rowing. Rowers applied greater foot force and over a greater foot stretcher area with the high-density than the low-density and control insoles. These findings and the methodology applied may be relevant for the understanding and monitoring of rowing performance.

Authors' response to the letter to the editor: "Effects of acoustic feedback training in elite-standard Para-Rowing" by Schaffert and Mattes (2015)

Our article in the Journal of Sports Sciences was designed to examine effects of auditory feedback on mean boat speed during on-water training of visually impaired athletes in elite-standard Para-Rowing. This aim is stated explicitly in the title, abstract, introduction and discussion section. The effects were analysed on the basis of a conservative approach to using inferential statistics by emphasising measures that communicate meaningful differences and effect sizes to help interpret the data's practical importance for sport competition. Biomechanical measurements have been combined with standardised questionnaires to assess the athletes' perceived experience during rowing with acoustic feedback. An application for high-performance rowing has already been used to successfully investigate the effects of acoustic feedback on the time structure of the rowing cycle during the recovery phase. In this response, we provide our comments to the concerns presented in the 'Letter to the Editor' along with a brief description of the issues that relate to research in high-performance sport.