Sports Biomechanics Laboratory
A 32 metre long sports biomechanics laboratory was purpose built in January 2007. This superb facility was added to complement IMAR’s other laboratories and to focus specifically on sports-related biomechanical research and assessment, using the excellence from our clinical service to benefit the sports arena. This has now led to a close working relationship between various professional Football Clubs.
One of the force platforms in the lab is located on rails so that the different stride lengths of athletes during running or walking can be accommodated. There are 26 Vicon® MX13, F40 and T20 cameras which are able to capture up to 400Hz and up to 4 million pixels. We have recently invested in dedicated high-tech equipment, such as golf and racing cycle simulators, which are synchronised with our existing pressure equipment and the Vicon® systems.
This fully equipped 3D motion capture lab can analyse single or multiple body motion; walking, running, exercising or performing sports activities and can also provide new insights into detailed motion analysis of smaller areas such as the foot or hand.
With an increasing range of sports simulators at our disposal, IMAR can provide detailed analysis of sports activities within a controlled laboratory environment. Linked with our state of the art motion analysis and metabolic instruments we can analyse athletic performance and investigate injury prevention for a wide range of sports activities.
We have a range of instruments that can show and analyse vibration data over a wide range of frequencies and amplitudes. These allow detailed investigation into what subjects and patients can actually feel, potentially leading to the development of new medical instrumentation.
Over the years IMAR has investigated a wide range of sports boots and shoes (and even non-slip socks) looking at injury prevention, proprioception and benefits for patients and athletes. This area of research prompts wide-ranging questions such as ‘Do MTB shoes help in walking?’ to ‘Does wearing high-heel shoes help back pain during pregnancy?’
