In-Field Validation of an Inertial Sensor-Based System for Movement Analysis and Classification in Ski Mountaineering

Gellaerts, Jules; Bogdanov, Evgeny Anatolyevich; Dadashi, Farzin; Mariani, Benoît

doi:10.3390/s18030885

Cited by 15 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Further insights into the biomechanics of this sport and appropriate development of equipment should be performed in collaboration with manufacturers. The recent introduction of smart devices designed specifically for monitoring ski mountaineering ( Fasel et al, 2016 ; Gellaerts et al, 2018 ), in combination with data collected by GNSS, will allow a more systematic assessment of these biomechanical parameters.…”

Section: Concluding Remarks and Future Perspectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ski Mountaineering: Perspectives on a Novel Sport to Be Introduced at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games

et al. 2021

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Ski mountaineering is a rapidly growing winter sport that involves alternately climbing and descending slopes and various racing formats that differ in length and total vertical gain, as well as their distribution of downhill and uphill sections. In recent years, both participation in and media coverage of this sport have increased dramatically, contributing, at least in part, to its inclusion in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina. Here, our aim has been to briefly describe the major characteristics of ski mountaineering, its physiological and biomechanical demands, equipment, and training/testing, as well as to provide some future perspectives. Despite its popularity, research on this discipline is scarce, but some general characteristics are already emerging. Pronounced aerobic capacity is an important requirement for success, as demonstrated by positive correlations between racing time and maximal oxygen uptake and oxygen uptake at the second ventilatory threshold. Moreover, due to the considerable mechanical work against gravity on demanding uphill terrain, the combined weight of the athlete and equipment is inversely correlated with performance, prompting the development of both lighter and better equipment in recent decades. In ski mountaineering, velocity uphill is achieved primarily by more frequent (rather than longer) strides due primarily to high resistive forces. The use of wearable technologies, designed specifically for analysis in the field (including at elevated altitudes and cold temperatures) and more extensive collaboration between researchers, industrial actors, and coaches/athletes, could further improve the development of this sport.

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Section: Concluding Remarks and Future Perspectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ski Mountaineering: Perspectives on a Novel Sport to Be Introduced at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games

et al. 2021

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“…A Pomocup inertial sensor (Pomoca, Denges, Switzerland) was placed on the ski, in front of the toe binding, and measured stride characteristics of step cadence (C) and step length (SL). The non-accessible raw data were recorded at 1200 Hz and processed with an automatic algorithm (Gellaerts et al, 2018).…”

Section: Measurement Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physiological Responses and Predictors of Performance in a Simulated Competitive Ski Mountaineering Race

Lasshofer¹,

Seifert²,

Wörndle³

et al. 2021

jsportscimed

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Competitive ski mountaineering (SKIMO) has achieved great popularity within the past years. However, knowledge about the predictors of performance and physiological response to SKIMO racing is limited. Therefore, 21 male SKIMO athletes split into two performance groups (elite: VO2max 71.2 ± 6.8 ml· min-1· kg-1 vs. sub-elite: 62.5 ± 4.7 ml· min-1· kg-1) were tested and analysed during a vertical SKIMO race simulation (523 m elevation gain) and in a laboratory SKIMO specific ramp test. In both cases, oxygen consumption (VO2), heart rate (HR), blood lactate and cycle characteristics were measured. During the race simulation, the elite athletes were approximately 5 min faster compared with the sub-elite (27:15 ± 1:16 min; 32:31 ± 2:13 min; p < 0.001). VO2 was higher for elite athletes during the race simulation (p = 0.046) and in the laboratory test at ventilatory threshold 2 (p = 0.005) and at maximum VO2 (p = 0.003). Laboratory maximum power output is displayed as treadmill speed and was higher for elite than sub-elite athletes (7.4 ± 0.3 km h-1; 6.6 ± 0.3 km h-1; p < 0.001). Lactate values were higher in the laboratory maximum ramp test than in the race simulation (p < 0.001). Pearson’s correlation coefficient between race time and performance parameters was highest for velocity and VO2 related parameters during the laboratory test (r > 0.6). Elite athletes showed their superiority in the race simulation as well as during the maximum ramp test. While HR analysis revealed a similar strain to both cohorts in both tests, the superiority can be explainable by higher VO2 and power output. To further push the performance of SKIMO athletes, the development of named factors like power output at maximum and ventilatory threshold 2 seems crucial.

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“…To capture data to evaluate ski-turn skills in terms of the relationship between the physical movement of a skier and the interaction of the skis with the snow’s surface, photos, videos, and inertial measurement units (IMUs) are commonly used [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]. In a previous study, multiple IMUs were attached to the body of a professional alpine skier to measure body movements during skiing [ 11 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comfortable and Convenient Turning Skill Assessment for Alpine Skiers Using IMU and Plantar Pressure Distribution Sensors

Matsumura

Ohta

Yamamoto

et al. 2021

Sensors

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Improving ski-turn skills is of interest to both competitive and recreational skiers, but it is not easy to improve on one’s own. Although studies have reported various methods of ski-turn skill evaluation, a simple method that can be used by oneself has not yet been established. In this study, we have proposed a comfortable method to assess ski-turn skills; this method enables skiers to easily understand the relationship between body control and ski motion. One expert skier and four intermediate skiers participated in this study. Small inertial measurement units (IMUs) and mobile plantar pressure distribution sensors were used to capture data while skiing, and three ski-turn features—ski motion, waist rotation, and how load is applied to the skis—as well as their symmetry, were assessed. The results showed that the motions of skiing and the waist in the expert skier were significantly larger than those in intermediate skiers. Additionally, we found that the expert skier only slightly used the heel to apply a load to the skis (heel load ratio: approximately 60%) and made more symmetrical turns than the intermediate skiers did. This study will provide a method for recreational skiers, in particular, to conveniently and quantitatively evaluate their ski-turn skills by themselves.

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In-Field Validation of an Inertial Sensor-Based System for Movement Analysis and Classification in Ski Mountaineering

Cited by 15 publications

References 19 publications

Ski Mountaineering: Perspectives on a Novel Sport to Be Introduced at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games

Ski Mountaineering: Perspectives on a Novel Sport to Be Introduced at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games

Physiological Responses and Predictors of Performance in a Simulated Competitive Ski Mountaineering Race

Comfortable and Convenient Turning Skill Assessment for Alpine Skiers Using IMU and Plantar Pressure Distribution Sensors

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