Comparison of skeletal muscles biomechanical characteristics between top level and recreational alpine skiers

Alpsko smučanje že dolgo velja za slovenski nacionalni šport. Smučajo mladi in manj mladi, profesionalci in rekreativci. Seveda so se smučarska oprema, tehnika in način smučanja z leti spreminjali in spreminjali so se tudi trend in vrste poškodb. Prav zaradi tega smo se odločili, da bomo v diplomski nalogi ugotavljali razlike v biomehanskih karakteristikah skeletnih mišic med vrhunskimi in rekreativnimi alpskimi smučarji. Osredotočili smo se na discipline alpskega smučanja, zato smo podrobneje preučili njihovo tekmovalno tehniko ter razčlenili različne faze smučarskega zavoja. Za lažje razumevanje smo predstavili tehnične značilnosti in pomen smuči in ostale opreme ter discipline, v katerih tekmujejo alpski smučarji. Vsak šport temelji na načinu športne vadbe in tudi preventive, zato smo ob opisu gibalnih in funkcionalnih sposobnosti poudarili tudi pomen športne diagnostike. V zaključku teoretičnega dela smo predstavili sodobno diagnostično metodo za spremljanje značilnosti skeletnih mišic - tenziomiografijo (TMG) in natančno interpretirali njeno uporabo ter izmerjene rezultate – parametre. Vse to smo uporabili v raziskovalnem delu naloge. Raziskovalni del je jedro te diplomske naloge. Podatke, ki smo jih pridobili z metodo TMG, smo obdelali s programom SPSS. Raziskava nam je pokazala ključne razlike med vzorcema skeletnih mišic pri vrhunskih in rekreativnih alpskih smučarjih in s tem podkrepila ugotovitve o vzrokih za nastanek poškodb in o načinih za njihovo preprečitev.Alpine skiing has long been considered a Slovenian national sport. Amongst the skiers are the young, the less young, professionals and recreational athletes. Naturally, the skiing equipment, technique and the manner of skiing have changed through the years, and so has the trend and type of injuries. Because of this, we decided that the purpose of our diploma thesis would be to determine the differences in biomechanical characteristics of skeletal muscles between topmost and recreational alpine skiers. We focused on the disciplines of alpine skiing, consequently studying their competitive techniques in detail and analyzing the different phases of a ski turn. For an easier understanding we presented the technical characteristics and the purpose of skis and other equipment, as well as the disciplines in which alpine skiers compete. Every sport is based on a certain sports exercise approach as well as prevention, so we also emphasized the meaning of sports diagnostics when describing motor and functional skills. At the end of the theoretical part we presented a modern diagnostic method of monitoring the characteristics of skeletal muscles—tensiomyography (TMG)—and thoroughly interpreted its usage and measured results—parameters. All this was utilized in the research part, which is the core of this diploma thesis. The data gathered with the TMG method was processed with the SPSS program. The research indicated key differences between the patterns of skeletal muscles in topmost and recreational alpine skiers, therefore supporting the observations about the causes of injuries and the means of preventing them