Wendy Gilleard’s research while affiliated with Southern Cross University and other places

Movement competency (MC) development of high-school athletes can prepare them for the requirements of physical preparation training and the demands of sport. The aim of this study was to explore the physical effects of and athlete compliance to coach-led versus self-directed training approaches in this population. Thirty-nine high-school athletes (19 male, 14.5 ± 0.3 years old; 20 female, 14.6 ± 0.3 years) were allocated into two groups for a physical preparation program to improve MC. Groups were prescribed either (i) one face-to-face and one online (F2F, n = 18), or (ii) two online (OL, n = 21) sessions per week for 16-weeks. Before and after the intervention, the Athlete Introductory Movement Screen (AIMS) was used to assess MC alongside common physical capacity measures (triple-hop, star-excursion balance, medicine ball throw, 40 m sprint and countermovement jump). Dropout left 22 participants with pre-post physical scores. Compliance with online training was low and F2F session attendance moderate. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to assess participant perceptions following the intervention. Assessing individual responses, the F2F group had a higher proportion of positive responders to AIMS scores, yet capacity measures were inconclusive across groups. Face-to-face coaching when acquiring MCs as part of physical preparation, may provide greater positive perceptions towards training compared to self-directed online prescriptions, and thereby greater compliance.

This systematic review evaluates empirical evidence for intervention studies targeting delivery and improvement of movement competency (MC) within youth athletes. Previous research suggests that youth athletes lack adequate MCs required to meet the demands of training for sport. From the systematic search, studies were included if they involved healthy youth (8–19 years) involved in organised sport (i.e. athletes); used an assessment at two or more time points for assessing MC outcomes; and compared movement quality of a targeted intervention group to a control or comparison group. After removing duplicates, 799 unique articles across six databases were identified and screened, with six studies initially satisfying inclusion criteria. Additional records were identified through searching reference lists (n = 2), with eight articles included. Two authors evaluated and appraised studies for methodological quality using the PEDro assessment; with scores from 4 to 7 points. Five studies reported improvement in ratings of MC in experimental groups, compared to control or comparator groups. The Functional Movement Screen™ was the most common assessment used in five studies. Intensity, length and design of interventions varied, yet all studies revealed inclusion of squats and their derivatives to varying degrees of load from bodyweight to barbells. Future research should explore differences in training session exposures over time, alongside methodological improvements such as participant allocation to minimise baseline differences, blinding of assessors, and where possible athletes to some degree. Charting the course of MC development through multiple time points, along with reporting individual movement task scores, can aid practitioners in dedicating appropriate time to MC development in an athlete’s formative years.

Purpose: A novel 4-task Athlete Introductory Movement Screen was developed and tested to provide an appropriate and reliable movement screening tool for youth sport practitioners. Methods: The overhead squat, lunge, push-up, and a prone brace with shoulder touches were selected based on previous assessments. Twenty-eight mixed-sport junior athletes (18 boys, 10 girls; mean age=15.7±1.8 years) completed screening after viewing standardised demonstration videos. Athletes were filmed performing eight repetitions of each task and assessed retrospectively by two independent raters using a 3-point scale. The primary rater re-assessed footage three weeks later. A sub-group (N=11) repeated screening 7-days later, and a further eight athletes were re-assessed 6-months later. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), typical error (TE), coefficient of variation (CV%), and weighted kappa (k) were used in reliability analysis. Results: For the Athlete Introductory Movement Screen 4-task sum score, intrarater reliability was high (ICC = .97; CV = 2.8%), whereas interrater reliability was good (intraclass correlation coefficient = .88; CV = 5.6%). There was a range of agreement from fair to almost perfect (k = .31–.89) between raters across individual movements. A 7-day and 6-month test–retest held good reliability and acceptable CVs (≤ 10%) for sum scores. Conclusion: The 4-task Athlete Introductory Movement Screen appears a reliable tool for profiling emerging athletes. Reliability was strongest within the same rater, it was lower, yet acceptable, between 2 raters. Scores can provide an overview of appropriate movement competencies, helping practitioners assess training interventions in the athlete development pathway.

This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of jump assessments using the MyJump2 application. Eleven junior athletes (15 ± 1.4 years) performed five countermovement (CMJ) and drop jumps (DJ) measured simultaneously by a force platform and MyJump2. Additionally, intra- and inter-day reliability was assessed over two sessions, 7 days apart. Extremely high agreement between MyJump2 and the force platform (intra-class correlation coefficient, ICC ≥ 0.99) and the intra- and inter-operator agreement (ICC = 0.98–0.99) confirmed the validity and reliability of MyJump2. Mean typical errors (coefficient of variation percentage, CV%) within the first and second sessions were 4.9% and 4.5% respectively for CMJs, and 8.0% to 11.8% for DJ outcomes. CMJ height held acceptable inter-day reliability (CV < 10%; ICC > 0.8), while DJ did not. Results supported MyJump2 to be a valid and reliable tool for assessing jumps; however, with variability in DJs in this cohort, appropriate caution should be taken if including in a junior assessment battery.

Introduction Movement competencies form the foundations in the development and training of young aspiring athletes. Yet formal assessment of such capabilities can be overlooked within early athlete programs, arising from the wide range of assessments varying in length, difficulty, and reliability in the current literature. The aim of this study was to assess the reliability of a simple assessment tool of four key movement patterns and subsequently evaluate its effectiveness and application to younger athletes first entering a formal sporting system.

Women change their gait as pregnancy progresses. It is known biomechanical adaptions occur; however, the etiology of these adaptations is unknown. A common suggestion is that the adaptations, such as increased step width, are a functional response to control stability. Nevertheless, step width is also affected by trunk segment kinematics which are themselves also altered as pregnancy progresses. Step width is also affected by mechanical obstruction when the girth of the thigh is increased. Therefore, the changes seen in step width may be of mechanical rather than functional origins. The objective of this chapter is to investigate the etiology of the step width adaptation as pregnancy progresses and its resolution post-birth. It includes discussion on the temporospatial and trunk segment kinematic adaptions as pregnancy progresses and the effect of parity. The mechanical obstruction by increased thigh girth is a likely explanation for increased step width in late pregnancy. The mechanical effect of altered trunk mechanics may also affect step width as pregnancy progresses. Thus, increased step width as pregnancy progresses is a mechanical adaptation rather than a functional adaptation to increase stability. The effect from previous pregnancy may be less important than the individual’s differences in adaptations.

Abstract There is a paucity of data describing the lofted instep kick and little information on the kinematic differences between male and female footballers. This study provides a preliminary investigation into the differences in motion patterns between the sexes. A four-camera motion analysis system videoed 13 amateur footballers (7 female and 6 male) attempting a standardised task that represented a lofted instep kick of approximately 35 m. Footballers performed 20 kicks, with the three trials categorised closest to the standardised distance retained for statistical analysis. Three-dimensional motion patterns for kicks of 35 m illustrated that female footballers produced greater fluctuation in movement patterns for pelvic, hip joint and thoracolumbar spine motion in the frontal plane; thorax and hip joint transverse rotation; and ankle dorsiflexion/plantarflexion motion. Peak hip extension (P = 0.018), impact hip abduction (P = 0.032), impact ankle plantar flexion (P = 0.030) and resultant ball velocity (P = 0.004) differed significantly between sexes. Principle component analysis highlighted associations between kinematic variables related to ball velocity and sex including a reduced hip abduction and increased internal rotation approaching impact, and greater peak knee flexion, respectively. In summary, increased variation in direction of segment motion, increased backswing and formation of a tension arc by females compared to males, may be related to anthropometric, strength and muscle activation differences. Specifically, this exploratory study indicates future research would benefit from exploring trunk, pelvis and hip kinematics and kinetics, and whether training the trunk, pelvis and hip musculature assists female footballers.

Aim: To establish the current sun protection strategies of Australian surfers and the incidence of medically diagnosed skin cancer in the 12 month period preceding data collection. Study design: Diagnosed skin cancer and skin lesions were recorded via online questionnaire. Participants: 685 self-selected surfers (mean 31.7 ±12.9 yr) participated in this research. Methods: This research involved a retrospective survey of self-selected surfers completing an online survey that had specific questions related to sun protection strategies while surfing and whether respondents had been treated by a medical practitioner for a skin cancer or lesion and the site on the body where this was located. Results: 19.1% of respondents reported “never” using sunscreen/zinc on any sun exposed areas of the skin during the summer months with this figure rising to 46.8% in the winter months. Less than 4% reported wearing a surf cap in summer or winter. A total of 224 separate skin cancers/lesions were reported. 50% of all reported skin cancers/lesions were identified on the upper body with the face being the most common location overall (21.9%). This equates to a mean rate of occurrence of 9.1 skin cancers/lesions per 1000 hours surfed. Conclusion: In spite of the significant investment and effort devoted to promoting appropriate forms of sun protection, survey responses indicate that surfers do not appear to be embracing the public health strategies related to sun protection.

The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the relationship between body composition and foot structure and function. Six electronic databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, Ovid AMED, CINAHL, Scopus and The Cochrane Library) and reference lists from relevant papers were searched on 2 September 2013. Sixteen papers that reported on the association between body composition and foot structure and function met our inclusion criteria and were reviewed. The evidence indicates that obesity is strongly associated with planus (low-arched) foot posture, pronated dynamic foot function and increased plantar pressures when walking. However, there is limited evidence to support an association between other body composition measures, such as fat mass, with foot structure or function.

Background A longitudinal repeated measures design over pregnancy and post-birth, with a control group would provide insight into the mechanical adaptations of the body under conditions of changing load during a common female human lifespan condition, while minimizing the influences of inter human differences. The objective was to investigate systematic changes in the range of motion for the pelvic and thoracic segments of the spine, the motion between these segments (thoracolumbar spine) and temporospatial characteristics of step width, stride length and velocity during walking as pregnancy progresses and post-birth. Methods Nine pregnant women were investigated when walking along a walkway at a self-selected velocity using an 8 camera motion analysis system on four occasions throughout pregnancy and once post birth. A control group of twelve non-pregnant nulliparous women were tested on three occasions over the same time period. The existence of linear trends for change was investigated. Results As pregnancy progresses there was a significant linear trend for increase in step width (p = 0.05) and a significant linear trend for decrease in stride length (p = 0.05). Concurrently there was a significant linear trend for decrease in the range of motion of the pelvic segment (p = 0.03) and thoracolumbar spine (p = 0.01) about a vertical axis (side to side rotation), and the pelvic segment (p = 0.04) range of motion around an anterio-posterior axis (side tilt). Post-birth, step width readapted whereas pelvic (p = 0.02) and thoracic (p < 0.001) segment flexion-extension range of motion decreased and increased respectively. The magnitude of all changes was greater than that accounted for with natural variability with re testing. Conclusions As pregnancy progressed and post-birth there were significant linear trends seen in biomechanical changes when walking at a self-determined natural speed that were greater than that accounted for by natural variability with repeated testing. Not all adaptations were resolved by eight weeks post birth.