http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/sports_science/ Science of sports. Read about new body sensors to monitor and improve athletic performance, methods of selecting sports teams, and more in our sports science section. en-us Sun, 27 Jul 2008 00:05:01 EDT Sun, 27 Jul 2008 00:05:01 EDT 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/sports_science/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080714141257.htm Golfers who heed the advice of instructors to keep their heads perfectly still while putting may be hampering their game, according to a study that examined coordination patterns. The findings run contrary to conventional wisdom, or at least conventional golf wisdom. Using an infrared tracking system, researchers recorded the putter head and the golfer's head during sixty putts. Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080714141257.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080708210852.htm Scientists have recently become interested in the biomechanics of a very unusual activity: skyscraper run-ups. Competitors in this extreme sport ascend the steps inside the world's tallest buildings, the winners often scaling thousands of steps in just a few minutes. New research has shed light on the metabolic profile of athletes, as well as having a potential impact on studies of aging. Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080708210852.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080710070821.htm Cool, dry air flowing between the athlete and their football pads reduces core body temperature and heart rate dramatically, thereby reducing the likelihood of heat-related illness, a new study shows. The study found that air forced under the uniform, rather than misted, cool air blown on to the uniform, could be a helpful measure to avoid heat-related illness in football players. Sat, 12 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080710070821.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080708110517.htm How stressed are we? A sensor vest will soon be able to tell us. From sports training to computer games, the garment registers the electrical excitation of the muscles at any given time and determines the level of physical stress. Fri, 11 Jul 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080708110517.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080707174020.htm Baseball diamonds are a left-hander's best friend. That's because the game was designed to make a lefty the "Natural," according to a professor of engineering and uber baseball fan. The professor is a mechanical engineer who specializes in aircraft and helicopter engineering and has a different approach to viewing America's Favorite Pastime. Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080707174020.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080703132928.htm Swimmers around the world are breaking records this year like never before, including at this week's U.S. Olympic trials. Some attribute it to extensive training as athletes prepare to compete at this summer's games in Beijing. Others say one factor may be a new swimsuit -- a space-age swimsuit made of fabric tested at NASA. Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080703132928.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080630104637.htm A team of researchers at the Ocean University of China has developed and tested a mobile lidar (light detection and ranging) station that can accurately measure wind speed and direction over large areas in real time -- an application useful for aviation safety, weather forecasting and sports. Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080630104637.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080618094349.htm "In sprint events, where hundredths of a second can make the difference between a gold medal and a silver, minimizing reaction time can be the key to an athlete's success. We suggest that procedures presently used to start the Olympic sprint events give runners closer to the starter the advantage of hearing the "go" signal louder; consequently, they react sooner than their competitors," says a researcher who has studied the question. Sun, 22 Jun 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080618094349.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080614081721.htm It is built in sparkling white and with a striking similarity to a real Formula 1 racer, but just a little bit smaller. Students of mechanical engineering at the D-MAVT recently unveiled their Formula student racer called "Maloja". Its preceding model "Albula" was present, too - converted into a hybrid racing car. In addition, a free-kick robot and a four-legged walking robot were presented. Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080614081721.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080619090746.htm A new mass spectrometry test can help sports anti-drug doping officials to detect whether an athlete has used drugs that boost naturally occurring steroid levels. The test is more sensitive compared to previous alternatives, more capable of revealing specific suspicious chemical in the body, faster to perform, and could be run on standard drug-screening laboratory equipment. Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080619090746.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080610212408.htm Tennis Grand Slam season is upon us once again with the French Open already over, and Wimbledon hot on its heels later in the month. Researchers have found that tennis players are often better than the rest of us at certain time-related, perceptual skills, such as speed discrimination. Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080610212408.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080612092025.htm Ahead of Wimbledon fortnight, researchers from Cardiff University are advising that sports decision aids such as the Hawk-Eye system should come with a 'health' warning attached. Hawk-Eye, and similar officiating tools which are used to supplement or replace decision-making by umpires and referees, are becoming an increasingly common part of televised sports coverage. But the new technology has also attracted its critics. Fri, 13 Jun 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080612092025.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080606105439.htm Researchers have devised a novel sensor that will enable human somatic cells to be identified on the basis of their characteristic locomotion pattern. The sensor is expected to facilitate the diagnosis of diseases or the assessment of healing processes. Even the slightest differences are important in competitive sport: To improve a ski jumper's performance, the trainer can analyze the jump very accurately using force sensors. Thu, 12 Jun 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080606105439.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080602144411.htm The deceptively simple, remarkably fast feeding action of toads and chameleons offers a new look at how muscles work. This fresh perspective could lead to designing more efficient electric motors, better prostheses and new medical treatments for neuromuscular diseases like Parkinson's. Science has long held that muscles behave largely like motors. Northern Arizona University researcher Kiisa Nishikawa suggests that muscle acts more like a spring. Tue, 03 Jun 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080602144411.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080602075757.htm Although the overall rate of high school baseball-related injuries has decreased within the last 10 years, the severity of injuries that occur has increased, according to a new study. During the two-year study period, an estimated 132,000 high school baseball-related injuries occurred with an injury rate of more than one per 1,000 athletic exposures. Tue, 03 Jun 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080602075757.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080529093411.htm Biathletes who have learned to apply a relaxation technique can improve their results in the rifle-shooting range. Half of the test group integrated the relaxation exercise in their rifle-shooting practice for ten weeks. The control group practiced as usual. The results showed a clear difference. The group that used the relaxation technique learned to shoot better. They held their rifle barrels steadier and placed their shots within a narrower area. The control group made no progress whatsoever. Fri, 30 May 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080529093411.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080528140245.htm A monkey has fed itself with fluid, well-controlled movements of a human-like robotic arm by using only signals from its brain, researchers report. Use of the robotic arm, complete with working joints, is directly controlled by the monkey, a significant advance that could benefit prosthetics for people with paralysis and spinal cord injuries, particularly those with "locked-in" conditions such as Lou Gehrig's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Wed, 28 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080528140245.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080421170215.htm The standard eye chart only covers letters and numbers, but athletes need above average vision to track balls hurtling toward them at alarming speeds. To test those special skills, optometrist will have athletes perform while a strobe light is flashing, play tag with a board of lights and engage in other activities designed to improve their visual abilities. Fri, 25 Apr 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080421170215.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080411220112.htm We're not sure what brand of batteries it was using, but the Cornell Ranger robot just kept going and going April 3 when it set an unofficial world record by walking nonstop for 45 laps -- a little over 9 kilometers or 5.6 miles -- around the Barton Hall running track. The robot walked (and walked) until it finally stopped and fell backward, perhaps because its battery ran down. Sat, 12 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080411220112.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080401110128.htm Robot soccer is an ambitious high-tech competition for universities, research institutes and industry. Several major tournaments are planned for 2008, the biggest of which is the 'RoboCup German Open.' 80 teams of researchers from more than 15 countries are expected to face off. Fri, 04 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080401110128.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080331135546.htm NJIT's indefatigable math professor Bruce Bukiet is once again opining on outcomes for this season's Major League Baseball teams. Bukiet's system for recommending wagers has produced positive results for five of the seven years he has posted results. Tue, 01 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080331135546.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080305104900.htm It's a technique that has previously been used for oil exploration -- now researchers have developed a new, highly sensitive, anti-doping steroid test using hydropyrolysis. Fri, 07 Mar 2008 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080305104900.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080229141827.htm It is estimated that more than 98,000 sports injuries in US high schools in 2005-2007 were directly related to an action that was ruled illegal activity by a referee, official or disciplinary committee. Sun, 02 Mar 2008 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080229141827.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080228100709.htm A highly specialized computer modeling technique has been instrumental in the design of a revolutionary new swimsuit which is now being hailed as the fastest in the world. Within a week of its launch athletes wearing the new swimsuit had broken three world records. Sat, 01 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080228100709.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080213111053.htm New computer software could enable swimmers to improve a key aspect of their technique more quickly and effectively than previously possible -- ramping up the competition for gold medals. The software provides instant, in-depth feedback on a swimmer's glide technique. Swimmers glide following starts and turns, when a swimmer is not moving their arms or legs but is just using their momentum to travel through the water. As well as supplying data on head position, body posture/alignment etc, the software actively suggests ways a swimmer can improve their posture to minimize resistance and pinpoints the optimum moment to begin kicking. Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080213111053.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080123150510.htm The sports culture surrounding football and wrestling may be fueling aggressive and violent behavior not only among teen male players but also among their male friends and peers on and off the field, according to a new study. Thu, 24 Jan 2008 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080123150510.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080104122415.htm When a celebrity suffers a fatal sports-related head injury, it hits the national news; when the average person does, it may hit the local newspaper. Both hit home and are equally devastating and often preventable tragedies. Fri, 04 Jan 2008 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080104122415.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221094837.htm Soccer teams from high altitude countries have a significant advantage when playing at both low and high altitudes, finds a new study. In contrast, lowland teams are unable to acclimatise to high altitude, reducing physiological performance. Fri, 04 Jan 2008 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221094837.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220110321.htm Researchers are improving the odds for people medically at risk from dehydration or congestive heart failure. They are improving and miniaturizing a medical device that monitors a person's hydration, or level of fluid. This is important to members of the military and to thousands of home health care patients, athletes, firefighters and first responders. Sat, 29 Dec 2007 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220110321.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221094840.htm Organized marathons are not associated with an increased risk of sudden death, despite the media attention they attract. In fact, marathons lower the risk of fatal motor vehicle crashes that might otherwise have taken place if the roads had not been closed, finds a new study. Wed, 26 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221094840.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219111701.htm Anyone heading out to the local skatepark with dreams of becoming the next Tony Hawk may want to take some precautions. Common skateboard injuries seen in emergency departments are arm and leg fractures, sprains, contusions, and head and stomach injuries. Wed, 19 Dec 2007 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219111701.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203190554.htm Serious head injuries among alpine skiers and snowboarders have risen over the past 15 years. The increase has coincided with faster speed and the inclusion of more jumping and acrobatics as the norm in these sports, say the authors. Mon, 10 Dec 2007 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203190554.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071107210708.htm Neuroscientists have significantly advanced brain-machine interface (BMI) technology to the point where severely handicapped people who cannot contract even one leg or arm muscle now can independently compose and send e-mails and operate a TV in their homes. They are using only their thoughts to execute these actions. Fri, 09 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071107210708.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071015111418.htm Amid growing concerns about sports "doping," researchers report development of a faster and more efficient method for detecting the presence of illegal anabolic steroids in urine. The new method takes only a few seconds and involves no time-consuming sample preparation. The study notes that use of banned substances by professional athletes to build muscle and gain a competitive advantage is a growing problem in sports such as track and field, baseball, football and cycling. Tue, 16 Oct 2007 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071015111418.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071012124031.htm Take a look inside the average American household and you're likely to find high-tech electronic equipment, sports gear and kids' toys far too complicated for their owners' use. Consumers often buy unsuitable products because they base purchase decisions on their perceived, rather than actual, abilities says a University of Michigan business professor. Sat, 13 Oct 2007 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071012124031.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071010111937.htm A few came. They ran. They left. As a result of their recent visit the US Marine Corp begins training in 2008 in new running suits chosen after tests of competing products in an environmental chamber. Fri, 12 Oct 2007 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071010111937.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071010171302.htm Expensive trainer running shoes are not worth the money, finds a small study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Cheap and moderately priced running shoes are just as good, if not better, in terms of cushioning impact and overall comfort, it concludes. Thu, 11 Oct 2007 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071010171302.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071004084045.htm While shoulder changes can allow pitches to go faster, too much of a good thing can be bad for growing kids. Repeated pitching does cause changes in the upper arm bone and soft tissue in the shoulders of young baseball players, but that these types of changes generally help protect players from injury, so it's not necessarily a bad thing, unless it is done to extremes. Tue, 09 Oct 2007 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071004084045.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071005213308.htm The prodigious kicking success of England rugby player Johnny Wilkinson's may come down to what he does with his arms -- but it is not just his trademark preparation stance that does the trick. Mon, 08 Oct 2007 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071005213308.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070927121109.htm As they root for the home team from their bleacher seats this fall, high school gridiron fans in the small Illinois town of Tolono won't see anything out of the ordinary on the field. But tucked inside many of the maroon helmets worn by the Unity High School Rockets, a revolution of sorts is taking place. This season, 32 varsity team members are sporting helmets outfitted with the same electronic encoder modules now used by a handful of college teams. Wed, 03 Oct 2007 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070927121109.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071002100509.htm A new material is under development that could be used in the manufacture of surfboards. It is made from recycled materials and is less toxic than the foam currently widely used. The surfing industry produces more than 750,000 surfboards per year, of which only a small percentage contain sustainable or biodegradable materials. A new venture aims to reduce the toxicity of surfboard materials while maintaining and even enhancing the technical specifications of the surfboards. Wed, 03 Oct 2007 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071002100509.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070919164815.htm Steroid use by a Major League Baseball slugger may produce only modest increases in muscle mass and bat and ball speed but still boost home run production by 50 percent or more, according to a new study by Tufts University physicist and baseball enthusiast Roger Tobin. Mon, 24 Sep 2007 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070919164815.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070913081035.htm Computer models now under development could enhance the design of sports equipment to help people of all abilities realise their sporting potential. The models, more sophisticated and more specialised than others previously used in sports equipment design, produce unprecedentedly realistic simulations of how potential ball designs, for instance, will actually behave when in use. Sat, 22 Sep 2007 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070913081035.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070913081030.htm Groundbreaking research now under way in the UK could help our leading athletics coaches deliver outstanding results in the years ahead. The SESAME (Sensing for Sport and Managed Exercise) project is developing innovative video and body sensor technologies designed to aid the training of both novice and elite athletes. The aim is to combine these technologies into a unique, integrated computer system that substantially increases the quantity and variety of data available to coaches during training sessions. Sat, 22 Sep 2007 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070913081030.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070917082022.htm The 15 minutes it took to remove Buffalo Bills player Kevin Everett off the field after he suffered a spinal cord injury may seem like a long time for someone needing acute medical care, but in fact, those minutes underscore how critical it is to carefully move a player with a suspected spinal cord injury off the field. It also highlights the challenges when needing to minimize any further movement to an injured spinal cord. Fri, 21 Sep 2007 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070917082022.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070913132916.htm Genetic research into athletic ability should be encouraged for its potential benefits in both sport and public health, according to a team of scientists. However, ethical concerns, such as whether seeking information about differences between ethnic groups could be perceived as racist research, need to be properly addressed, they warn. Fri, 21 Sep 2007 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070913132916.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070913081039.htm Skis equipped with an ingenious new self-waxing device that enables them to travel quicker could make a dramatic entry onto the skiing scene in the 2008-09 World Cup season. The device continuously applies fresh wax to the bottom of the ski during a race. Its developers are now working with manufacturers, with the aim of incorporating it into skis used in top-class international competition as early as next year. Wed, 19 Sep 2007 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070913081039.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070913081044.htm A revolutionary unobtrusive sensor that collects and immediately transmits data from the human body could boost an athlete's sporting success in future. Cufflink-sized and clipped behind the wearer's ear, the sensor is unique in two key respects. First, it does not hinder performance, yet can gather unprecedentedly wide-ranging and useful data about posture, stride length, step frequency, acceleration, response to shock waves travelling through the body etc. Second, when worn by an athlete during training, it can transmit the information for immediate visual display on a handheld device or laptop used by their coach at the trackside. Tue, 18 Sep 2007 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070913081044.htm