Date of Award

Summer 2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Electrical & Computer Engineering

Program/Concentration

Biomedical Engineering

Committee Director

Stacie I. Ringleb

Committee Member

Hunter J. Bennett

Committee Member

Sebastian Y. Bawab

Abstract

The shoulder is a complex joint with a wide range of motion, including flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, and internal and external rotation. In volleyball, repetitive overhand movements can cause shoulder overuse injuries. The primary offensive move, the attack, involves the approach, arm cocking, arm acceleration, and follow-through phases. Motion capture analysis and techniques like calculating Euler angles and rotation about a mean helical axis can evaluate shoulder movements. This study aimed to calculate shoulder movements during each phase of the volleyball attack using the Euler angle YXY sequence and the helical axis method. Different attack types, such as cross-court and line attacks, as well as cross-body and same-side follow-through strategies, were compared. Sixteen highly competitive or professional volleyball players participated, completing a series of attacks with varying directions and follow-through strategies in random order. Data were processed in Visual3d, and kinematics were calculated using custom MATLAB programs. Results indicated that the helical axis method revealed patterns of shoulder movements during the approach phase, suggesting that arm cocking might begin before takeoff. Both methods showed minimal variation during the arm cocking phase. Significant differences in the angle of elevation were observed during the arm acceleration phase between cross-court cross-body and line same-side attacks. The follow-through phase showed differences, with cross-body attacks involving more dynamic shoulder movements and same-side attacks exhibiting smoother motions. These findings highlight distinct shoulder mechanics in different volleyball strategies and underscore the helical axis method's effectiveness in optimizing performance and preventing injuries.

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In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

DOI

10.25777/x34g-5466

ISBN

9798384444411

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