A KINEMATIC COMPARISON OF ON-ICE POWER SKATING AND OFF-ICE ROLLERBLADE SKATING

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare, via cinematographical and multiple linear regression analyses, the kinematics of power skating and rollerblade skating. Fifteen university level varsity hockey players served as subjects. Following an acclimatization period, the subjects were filmed while performing a 20.0 meter maximum effort skating task both on-ice (using ice skates) and off-ice (using rollerblades). Comparisons on the basis of "identical elements” which involved a kinematic matching of movement parameters indicated a close relationship between the two skating modes. Best fit linear regression equations consisting of four variables for both on-ice and office skating showed significant results when predicting observed velocities. Several statistical cross-validation techniques were performed with and without compensation for frictional differences. Traditional cross validation produced significant results, the more esoteric did not It was concluded that the two modes of skating were similar from both a practical standpoint, and from a basic statistical perspective as well.