Influence of the composition of artificial turf on rotational traction and athlete biomechanics

人造草皮的进步使这些表面的表现与天然草皮相似，但就运动员受伤风险而言，人造草皮是否与天然草皮一样安全仍存在争议。先前的研究表明旋转牵引与下肢损伤风险有关。因此，人造表面具有潜在的优势，因为可以操纵组件来改变旋转牵引力。在之前的Engage Grant中，研究表明人造草坪的成分会影响机械牵引力和运动员的下肢生物力学。为了进一步利用初始Engage Grant的结果，将研究额外填充材料对机械牵引力和运动员生物力学的影响。此外，将扩大研究的总样本量，以增加统计效力。这项研究将包括力学和生物力学测试。在第一阶段进行的力学测试将确定每种人造草坪填充材料对旋转牵引力的影响。所有机械测试将包括使用专有机器人试验机进行旋转牵引力测试。人造草皮的样本部分将附着在可移动的平台上，假脚将安装传统的防滑鞋。FieldTurf将在填充材料（Greenfield、EcoMax、ProMax V2、Walnut）有所改变的情况下构建四个人造草坪样品，而草皮的所有其他方面（纤维密度、纤维长度、填充物压实度）保持不变。在机械测试之后，如果机械测试结果与传统的控制表面（传统的橡胶填充物）在旋转牵引力方面存在显著差异，则可以选择草坪表面进行进一步分析。生物力学测试将确定新草皮对下肢合成关节载荷的生物力学影响。八名男运动员将在安装在实验室跑道地板中央的3D受力平台上进行跑步v型切割运动，每个平台的表面都被固定在受力平台上。运动学和动力学将被收集，并使用逆动力学方法，从运动捕获和力数据中计算节间力和关节力矩。

Advances in artificial turf have made these surfaces behave similarly to natural grass, there is still debate as towhether artificial turf is as safe as natural grass in terms of athlete injury risk. Previous research has shownlinking rotational traction to lower extremity injury risk. Therefore, artificial surfaces have a potentialadvantage as the components can be manipulated to alter the rotational traction. In the previous Engage Grant,it was shown that components of artificial turf can influence both mechanical traction and athlete lowerextremity biomechanics. In order to further exploit the results of the initial Engage Grant, the influence thatadditional infill materials have on mechanical traction and athlete biomechanics will be investigated.Additionally, the total sample size of the study will be expanded to increase statistical power. The study willconsist of both mechanical and biomechanical testing. The mechanical testing performed in the first stage willdetermine the influence of each infill material of artificial turf on rotational traction. All mechanical testing willconsist of rotational traction testing using a proprietary robotic testing machine. Sample sections of artificialturf will be attached to the movable platform and a prosthetic foot will be fitted with a conventional cleatedshoe. Four samples of artificial turf will be constructed by FieldTurf with alterations in the infill material(Greenfield, EcoMax, ProMax V2, Walnut) with all other aspects of the turf remaining identical (fibre density,fibre length, infill compaction). Following mechanical testing, turf surfaces may be selected for further analysisif the mechanical testing results in significant differences in rotational traction from the conventional Controlsurface (conventional rubber infill). Biomechanical testing will determine the influence the new turf on thebiomechanics of the lower extremity resultant joint loading. Eight male athletes will perform a running v-cutmovement on a 3D force platform mounted in the center of a lab runway floor with each surface securelybolted to the force platform. Kinematics and kinetics will be collected and using an inverse dynamics approach,intersegmental forces and joint moments will be calculated from the motion capture and force data.