Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

The Impact of Dual Task Shooting on Knee Kinematics and Kinetics

McCarren, Gillian A.

Abstract Details

2019, Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, Athletic Training (Health Sciences and Professions).
Background: Successful recovery from a lower extremity (LE) injury is especially important when it affects our Service men and women, who may have sustained their injury fighting for our freedom. Understanding the interaction between increased task complexity, expected of a U.S. military member, and LE movement, as evidenced by initial and maximum joint angles and vertical ground reaction forces, will allow us to understand injury risk among this population. Purpose: Investigate LE biomechanics of amateur marksmen when asked to complete dual focus shooting tasks. Methods: Vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) and knee biomechanics were measured through the use of force plates and a digital motion capture system respectively. Participants were marked with 38 external anatomical markers and asked to complete a landing task, jumping from a box (31 cm height) onto two force plates half of their height in front of them. Participants completed the landing task under a baseline and a cognitive condition as they completed a shooting task with an AR-15 laser rifle. We hypothesize that participants will display decreased knee flexion and increased vertical ground reaction forces in their dominant leg during the shooting task with an added cognitive load, which requires a greater level of dual tasking. Main Outcome Measures: Vertical ground reaction force and joint angles. Paired samples t-tests were conducted to determine the impact of dual tasking on joint kinematics and kinetics. Alpha level was set at <0.05 for all analyses. Results: There were significant differences in peak vGRF, as the cognitively loaded task yielded increased vGRF (3.18±0.74 N×kg-1) compared to baseline (2.69±0.50 N×kg-1). Cognitively loaded tasks also produced slower times to peak vGRF (0.04±0.005 seconds), when compared the baseline trials (0.03±0.006 seconds). Cognitively loaded trials presented decreased flexion at initial contact (13.47±1.76°) and increased levels of flexion displacement from initial contact to maximum knee flexion (-58.35±6.91°), compared to baseline ((-20.13±3.75°) and (50.95±8.60°) respectively). Conclusion: These data suggests that the addition of the cognitively loaded task decreases participants’ ability to land in a traditional athletic stance, present under baseline conditions, thus landing with increased vGRF and decreased knee flexion. This introduction of dual tasking into a military like shooting task changed the typical landing biomechanics of amateur marksmen and may be a better assessment of true biomechanics with military tasks. These data emphasize the importance of an integration of external stimuli during functional assessment and rehabilitation in military specific patient populations, as it more closely resembles the increased cognitive and physical load present under actual marksmanship training.
Janet Simon (Advisor)
Dustin Grooms (Committee Member)
Jae Yom (Committee Member)
55 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • McCarren, G. A. (2019). The Impact of Dual Task Shooting on Knee Kinematics and Kinetics [Master's thesis, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1556214323893082

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • McCarren, Gillian. The Impact of Dual Task Shooting on Knee Kinematics and Kinetics . 2019. Ohio University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1556214323893082.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • McCarren, Gillian. "The Impact of Dual Task Shooting on Knee Kinematics and Kinetics ." Master's thesis, Ohio University, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1556214323893082

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)