Biomechanics

The Sport Biomechanics practitioner has expertise in assessment and evaluation of sport performance and technique with the aim of improving athlete performance and/or reducing injury risk. 

Scope of Practise:

·         Apply the principles of the biomechanical analysis of human movement in the context the sporting population and environment.

·         Knowledge of appropriate, reliable and valid methods for assessing sports technique to improve an athlete’s performance, in a variety of environments and sporting contexts.

·         Knowledge of basic tissue mechanics and mechanisms of injury.  Ability to apply concepts to evaluate injury risk in athlete performance.

·         Communication of findings in an accessible manner for coaches and sports medicine professionals.

·         Aid coaching staff in the development of technique modifications to improve the efficiency of an athlete’s performance and/or to reduce the risk of injury

·         Working with researchers to develop new techniques, sports equipment (e.g. rackets, bats, balls, surfaces) or personal equipment (e.g. helmets, footwear, sportswear) to improve sports performance and/or reduce the risk of injury

Skills and Competencies

Candidate case studies should demonstrate the following; 

·         Ability to qualitatively represent a sporting technique/movement with appropriate use of free body diagrams or deterministic models.

·         Ability to quantitively evaluate a sporting technique/movement with appropriate kinematic and kinetic variables. 

·         Knowledge of both three-dimensional and two-dimensional methods for motion capture.

·         Showing appropriate understanding and usage of: Marker sets (e.g., Helen Hayes, Cleveland clinic, rigid, cluster), Motion capture systems (e.g., On-line systems, Dv cameras, Inertial measurement units), Calibration techniques (e.g., volume, plane, anatomical), Direct force measures (e.g., force plate, F-scan, transducers), Electromyography (EMG)

·         Ability to accurately interpret Biomechanical data and monitor outcomes in the short or long-term.

·         Fundamental sporting movement analyses, e.g., gait (running, walking), upper limb (throwing, striking), lower limb (kicking, jumping).

·         Knowledge of both laboratory-based and field-based testing techniques where appropriate.

·         Ability to analyse data utilising advanced software with basic coding techniques e.g., R, Python, MATLAB

·         Ability to communicate findings in an appropriate manner to the stakeholders (e.g., written reports, annotated video analysis)

Over the next 12 months the Exercise and Sport Science Accreditation pathway is under review. 

The review is being led by Dr Mel Bussey and Professor Andy Kilding, with the intention being to work with High Performance Sport New Zealand, key sports organisations and Sport New Zealand to further develop the accreditation pathway in sport science so it reflects the future ways of working that will likely be required for sports scientists working in performance and health (non-clinical) settings.