Instrumentation in sports biomechanics

Sports biomechanics uses a number of instrumentation techniques and tools for the analysis of various physical and sports activities, and also for the development of new sports materials and equipment. However, the tools used today are based on a theoretical body of knowledge by the so-called “forerunners of biomechanics”, including Aristotle, Da Vinci, Galileo, Descartes, Borelli, and Newton. This paper presents a number of instrumental techniques which provide and assess relevant information in physical and sports performance, and also help to reduce sports-related injuries. Amongst the main instrumental techniques and tools, this paper lists those used for kinematic and kinetic analysis, such as chronoscopes (and other tools related to their usage, such as photocells, microphones and contact platforms). Also, mention is made of various instrumental techniques, such as photogrammetry and cinematography (photography and video cameras, cineradiography and magnetic resonance), electrogoniometry, electromyography, dynamography (load cells and dynamometric platform), accelerometry, electrodynography, pressurometry (pressure platforms/mats and instrumented insoles), and, finally, modelling and simulation techniques (MEF and CFD)