LOWER LIMB MUSCLE RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES DIFFER BETWEEN ELITE AND RECREATIONAL ICE HOCKEY PLAYERS

Abstract

Understanding the muscle recruitment strategies that have the largest contribution to performance is essential in sports biomechanics. The aims of this study were to characterise principal muscle activation patterns during accelerative hockey skating and to classify skill levels of players based on their principal muscle activation patterns. Key features of lower limb muscle activation strategies during accelerative skating were extracted and used to classify, with 83% success, elite and recreational players’ acceleration strides. Classification and functional interpretation of muscle coordination is important to understand the differences in muscle recruitment strategies across skill levels, and to monitor changes that result from training.