Projects
Sport-Specific Protocols
Varsity Softball
Project Start: August, 2023
Project End: Ongoing
Purpose: To assess performance and risk of injury in athletes performing at the varsity level.
Protocol - Batting Study: Each subject performs a variety of swings off of a stationary tee located in different zones with respect to the plate (middle plate - middle height, middle plate - high, middle plate - low, inside - middle height, outside - middle height), against a pitching machine, and against a live pitcher. This data is then analyzed to determine the times where the maximum angular velocity occurred for the pelvis and chest and where the maximum linear velocity occurred for both hands. These times are further examined relative to each other to determine an effective kinetic chain (movement progressing from the lower extremities through the torso to the arms and hands to generate the most power). The variation in these times for each swing is then compared across sessions on different days along with the associated lifestyle survey results. This information is entered into the group's database and communicated to the subject.
Protocol - Pitching Study: In development for Fall 2025
Results: Stay tuned!!!
Club Soccer
Project Start: January 2025
Project End: Ongoing
Purpose: To assess performance and risk of injury in athletes performing at the club level.
Protocol: Each subject completes a series of seven soccer-specific movements to assess biomechanical factors related to both performance and injury risk. The movements include dominant and non-dominant foot strikes, lateral cutting, throw-ins, long balls, and turn sprints, all of which replicate common in-game actions. The key data collected using the Xsens Awinda suit includes joint angles, knee flexion, and foot velocity. Our group is broadly interested in identifying biomechanical factors that contribute to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries and developing strategies to reduce their occurrence in athletes. For this, analysis focuses on evaluating maximum knee flexion across participants to determine the range of motion commonly seen in athletes without knee injuries and establishing a benchmark for low-risk knee movement. Subjects whose values fall outside this range will receive targeted strength exercises to reduce injury risk. Additional metrics, such as femur-to-knee alignment and foot velocity of the kicking leg, are evaluated to identify biomechanical patterns that may influence both performance and susceptibility to other common lower body injuries for soccer including ankle and hip flexor strains..
Results: Stay tuned!!!
Interhall Flag Football
Project Start: January 2025
Project End: Ongoing
Purpose: To assess performance and risk of injury in athletes performing at the interhall level.
Protocol - Position Specific Testing: Each subject is categorized into one of the following position groups for testing: wide receiver, running back, quarterback, or defender. For each position, a focused series of tests has been outlined that aims to test movements and patterns that are common during game play and may be related to injuries. These tests include route-running for wide-receivers, a reaction evasion drill for running backs, a target accuracy drill for quarterbacks, and a flag-pulling drill for defenders, to name a few. Given the broad scope of all the different positions and possible data to be collected, the current focus is testing wide receivers through route-running and collecting kinematics data from the Xsens Awinda suit. Each subject is instructed by researchers to run a certain route, starting from the 25-yard line and executing the designated route twice without a football and twice with a football. Order of the routes are randomized for each subject and route times are recorded by two researchers. Data is then analyzed in Matlab to explore correlations and joint angles.
Results: Stay tuned!!!
General Athlete Protocols
Lifestyle Effects on Performance
Project Start: August, 2023
Project End: Ongoing
Purpose: To examine the effects of various lifestyle characteristics (sleep, stress, diet, hormones, etc...) on athletic performance.
Protocol: Before each testing session, subjects complete a short lifestyle survey recording amount of sleep, academic stress, personal anxiety, caloric intake, water and alcohol consumption, date of last menstrual cycle (for female athletes), and history of past injuries. This information is then analyzed in conjunction with biomechanical performance data collected during that session to identify correlations between lifestyle factors and outcomes such as movement efficiency, fatigue, or injury susceptibility. Tentative areas of focus include the relationship between hormonal fluctuations and injury risk in female athletes, as well as the impact of pre-game nervousness on performance. All findings are entered into the group’s database and shared with the subject to provide personalized feedback.
Functional Movement Screen
Project Start: January, 2025
Project End: Ongoing
Purpose: To assess each athlete's ability to perform various functional movements while observing range of motion of various joints, limb symmetries, and compensatory movements.
Protocol: Each subject performs seven different functional movements: deep squat, hurdle step (left and right), in-line lunge (left and right), shoulder mobility (left and right), leg raise (left and right), push up, and rotary stability (left and right). Two different research students score each movement on a scale from 0 (experiencing pain leading to inability to complete movement) to 3 (able to complete movement with no compensations). After the scorers confer on their observations, a final score out of 21 is calculated and comments pertaining to compensations or asymetries are compiled. This information is entered into the group's database and communicated to the subject.
General Athletic Performance Training
Project Start: January 2025
Project End: Ongoing
Purpose: To develop a standardized, sport-agnostic testing protocol that quantitatively assesses speed, agility, acceleration, and movement efficiency using Xsens Awinda motion-capture sensors. This protocol allows researchers to evaluate athletes of any sport with consistent, repeatable biomechanical measures while reducing manual labor and subjective scoring.
Protocol: Each participant undergoes a series of movement tests designed to assess key components of athletic performance. These tests include a 20-meter sprint, a 5-10-5 Shuttle Run, a T-test, and a series of Vertical and Broad Jumps to analyze acceleration, speed, agility, movement efficiency, explosiveness, and landing control. This work aims to expand participation and establish normative performance benchmarks across multiple sport populations. All data is entered into the group’s database and will be shared with the subject to provide feedback on how their movement tendencies can inform training and injury prevention.
Motor Preferences
Image courtesy of Motor Preferences Experts
Project Start: August 2025
Project End: Ongoing
Purpose: To investigate the correlation of terrestrial and aerial motor preferences with athletic performance, injury risk, and individualized training strategies. Motor preferences reflect whether an athlete naturally favors grounded, stable (terrestrial) movement patterns or light, dynamic (aerial) movement patterns. Understanding these tendencies may allow coaches and trainers to tailor conditioning programs, optimize performance, and reduce the likelihood of injury.
Protocol: Subjects complete a series of assessments designed to classify their motor preference. These include the Outreach Hand Test (measuring natural forearm orientation in a reach-to-grasp task), the Feet Test (evaluating stability under postural perturbation in aerial vs. terrestrial stances), the Run Test (observing running mechanics such as stride length, head oscillation, and foot strike patterns), and the Y Balance Test (measuring limb symmetry and neuromuscular control). Results from these assessments are combined to determine whether a subject exhibits a predominantly terrestrial, aerial, or mixed motor profile. Findings are then compared with general athletic screening measures to explore links between motor preference, performance outcomes, and injury susceptibility. All data is entered into the group’s database and shared with the subject to provide feedback on how their natural movement profile can inform training.