Computer Simulations of Planar Sports Motions

Abstract

The computer simulation and the associated problem of the optimization of sports motions is a comparatively new field of biomechanical research. Until recently, the majority of investigations were concerned with the analysis of specific attributes of a certain discipline, usually neglecting all other facets of the investigated phenomenon. This view has now changed in favour of a more holistic one. However, very little experience has been gained up to now in the field of computer simulation of sports motions. One of the reasons for this lack is certainly to be found in the high degree of mathematical sophistication required to deal with the intricacies associated with the computer simulation of the human neuromusculoskeletal system. Only a team of mathematicians, numerical analysts and computer scientists is in a position to develop the necessary algorithms and computer programs. In this paper we shall present an overview of some of the major problems relating to the computer simulation of planar (2-D) motions and give an example of a long jump simulation. We shall deal mainly with the skeletal subsystem of the total neuromusculoskeletal system since a discussion of the complexities of the muscular and neural subsystem is beyond the scope of this presentation.