ATHLETE - EQUIPMENT INTERACTION

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to understand how to match an athlete to a piece of athletic equipment. Individual athlete characteristics require specific equipment parameters to optimize performance. Similarly individual movement patterns can be matched to equipment characteristics to help prevent injury. The athlete and equipment form a biomechanical system influenced by biomechanical principles such as the force-length and force-velocity relationship of skeletal muscle. By understanding the athlete-equipment interaction, sport equipment can be tuned to individual athletes to maximize performance and minimize injury.