Int J Sports Med 2015; 36(09): 742-746
DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1547265
Training & Testing
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Validation of a Trunk-mounted Accelerometer to Measure Peak Impacts during Team Sport Movements

D. W. T. Wundersitz
1   Centre for Exercise and Sports Science, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin Univeristy, Melbourne, Australia
,
P. B. Gastin
1   Centre for Exercise and Sports Science, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin Univeristy, Melbourne, Australia
,
S. Robertson
2   Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
,
P. C. Davey
3   School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Perth, Curtin University, Australia
,
K. J. Netto
3   School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Perth, Curtin University, Australia
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History



accepted after revision 02 February 2015

Publication Date:
25 March 2015 (online)

Abstract

This study assessed the validity of an accelerometer to measure impacts in team sports. 76 participants completed a team sport circuit. Accelerations were collected concurrently at 100 Hz using an accelerometer and a 36-camera motion analysis system. The largest peak accelerations per movement were compared in 2 ways: i) pooled together and filtered at 13 different cut-off frequencies (range 6–25 Hz) to identify the optimal filtering frequency, and ii) the optimal cut-off frequency split into the 7 movements performed (n=532). Raw and 25–16 Hz filtering frequencies significantly overestimated and 6 Hz underestimated motion analysis peak accelerations (P <0.007). The 12 Hz filtered accelerometer data revealed the strongest relationship with motion analysis data (accuracy − 0.01±0.27 g, effect size − 0.01, agreement − 0.55 to 0.53 g, precision 0.27 g, and relative error 5.5%; P=1.00). The accelerometer underestimated peak accelerations during tackling and jumping, and overestimated during walking, jogging, sprinting and change of direction. Lower agreement and reduced precision were associated with sprinting, jumping and tackling. The accelerometer demonstrated an acceptable level of concurrent validity compared to a motion analysis system when filtered at a cut-off frequency of 12 Hz. The results advocate the use of accelerometers to measure movements in team sport.

 
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