Firefighting is associated with high rates of musculoskeletal (MSK) injury. Overexertion is the most common source of MSK injury among firefighters. Evaluation of how tasks are performed can identify injury risks. Use of video-based software can help quantify firefighter tasks, but requires accuracy despite complex movement and equipment/clothing interfering with line of sight. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to describe hip and knee joint motion performance while lifting a high-rise pack (HRP) from floor to shoulder and to determine the relationship between hip joint displacement and isolated hip and knee joint angles. All the tasks were captured and measured as part of a larger FIREWELL study involving a total of 48 active firefighters. The kinematic information was extracted with the Dartfish© program using angle tracking and positional coordinates methods. The results of the current study indicate that lifting a high-rise pack involves a knee arc of motion of 84 ⁰ (SD = 29⁰) for the left side and 96 ⁰ (SD = 33⁰) for the right side. Displacement of the hip joint may be useful to estimate knee motion where angle measurements cannot be reliably obtained. The need to normalize displacement by height remains unclear. Future studies on video capture methods should focus on the a) reliability, b), ability to potential measure for change, c) predictive value of different movement indicators in task retraining videos. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

This document contains the results of an experiment conducted in the Biomechanics Research Laboratory at the University of Miami. Vicon motion capture data are used as a baseline for comparing values generated by an innovative motion capture technique using digital video analysis and other software packages. Marker locations, knee angle, ankle angle, knee moment and ankle moment values were produced by each system. The values show statistically significant differences, however if used as an estimator, digital analysis can be of great value. Possible applications for the use of the innovative video analysis technique are discussed. Methods for improving the accuracy and precision of the digital video motion analysis technique are outlined.

Syfte: Att med hjälp av videoanalys och programvaran Dartfish, undersöka eventuella skillnader i stödfasen på vinkeln mellan calcaneus och underlaget, hos personer med Pes planus och pes cavus, både efter en- och 45 minuters löpning på löpband.  Studiedesign: En experimentell studie. Metod: Trettiofyra personer vars fot/fötter uppmättes till pes cavus och pes planus enligt kriterierna för Medial Longitudinale Arch -angle, inkluderades i studien. Mätningarna gjordes på en stillbild med digital goniometer i programvaran Dartfish. Därefter mättes calcaneus vertikala mittlinje i förhållande till underlaget i stödfasen både efter 1 minut och 45 minuter, när försökspersonerna sprang barfota på ett löpband. Resultat: Båda fotvalvsgrupperna visade ett signifikant lägre värde, d vs ökad valgusriktning av calcaneus till underlaget, efter 45 minuter jämfört med 1 minuts löpning (p<0.05). Konklusion: Både pes cavus och pes planus tenderar att inta en calcaneusställning mer åt valgus efter 45 minuters löpning. Det behövs fortsatt forskning för att klargöra förändringen av biomekaniken efter längre tids löpning. Studiens resultat antyder att framtida studier som undersöker sambandet mellan skador och abnormala fotrörelser under belastning  även bör undersöka efter längre tids löpning.

Title: Analysis and significance of selected game activities of individuals without the ball with specialization setter Objectives: The aim of this work is analysis of selected game activities of individuals without the ball, mainly in offensice and to a lesser extent in defence situations. These situations are analysed via selected sequences in the software DartFish. The research was focused on three setter from three currently the best women's teams in the Czech Republic: Pavla Vincourová (VK Agel Prostějov), Iveta Halbichová (PVK Olymp Praha) a Veronika Tinklová (SK UP Olomouc). Abstrakt: This thesis is dedicated to all volleyball fans and mainly to volleyball coaches who are interested in problematics of move of a setter in volleyball. The thesis contains chapters on the history of volleyball, game performance and its diagnostics, other chapters are on set and setter. The practical part deals with movement of the game of volleyball on the setter position and its issues. Key words: volleyball, playing actions of an individual, set, setter, DartFish

Figure skating is a competitive sport that requires intensive training which can be taught in a variety of settings. There are various methods to teaching figure skaters new skills such as positive and corrective feedback, modeling and coaching procedures, and physical guidance. These different approaches may lead to a lack of consistency among coaches. Over the years, these established coaching strategies have not changed substantially as training methods are passed down from coach to student. Also, research in the area of what constitutes effective coaching methods is lacking. Skaters may progress more quickly in skill development if coaches are implementing empirically based successful coaching methods. These teaching approaches may also be enhanced by incorporating the latest technology available. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a video feedback coaching procedure using the Dartfish application. A multiple baseline design was utilized to document the impact of this video feedback coaching procedure on the demonstration of six established figure skating moves, three moves for one skater and three different moves for two other skaters. Results showed utilizing video feedback improved figure skater's performance levels on the targeted moves to an acquisition of 80% accuracy or higher.

The Feldenkrais Method of somatic education has become popular with pianists for improving ease of motion and musculoskeletal health. This thesis contains three studies investigating motion-tracking technologies as means to objectively assess the impact of Feldenkrais training on pianist posture. The first study investigates the accuracy and reliability of Dartfish 2D motion tracking software. Results indicate that Dartfish tracking error is within +/- 0.25 centimeters. The second study uses Dartfish to track head, shoulder, and spine positions of 15 pianists during performance before and after receiving a Feldenkrais Functional Integration Lesson. Comparisons of pre- and post-test measurements indicate no group trends in posture change. However, intriguing changes to movement quality in the head and torso were observable for two participants. The third study compares tracking quality of Dartfish and the Microsoft Kinect for the head, shoulders, and arms of four pianists attending a weeklong Feldenkrais workshop. Results reveal frequent tracking errors with the Kinect sensor, making it unsuitable to measure the impact of somatic training on pianist posture.