Characteristics of leaning adjustment of the turn in alpine sit-skiing compared with stand-skiing

• Main Authors: Sugajima, Yasuhiro, Kato, Takeru, Hadizadeh, Maryam
• Format: Article
• Published: Edizioni Minerva Medica 2022
• Subjects: RC1200 Sports Medicine
• Online Access: http://eprints.um.edu.my/44014/
• Institution: Universiti Malaya

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine inward leaning adjustment to the turn width in alpine sit-skiing compared with stand-skiing. METHODS: Eight skilled male skiers, including two sit-skiers, participated in this study. Participants made parallel turns with cones placed at 8-m intervals on the fall-line with the image of narrow and wide turn widths (1.5 and 3.0 m wide from fall-line, respectively). The trial was videotaped below the fall-line. The width and time of the turn, its speed and tempo, and inward leaning angle at the maximum turn width were calculated for the second and third trial turns. In sit-skiing, the pressure center was calculated using a seat pressure sheet. RESULTS: No difference in turn width was observed between the 2 skiing styles in both narrow and wide conditions. However, sit-skiing had significantly longer turn time and leaning angle and lower speed and tempo than stand-skiing. There was a negative correlation between turn width and speed and a positive correlation between turn width and leaning angle in both skiing styles. Sit-skiing had a lower proportion of speed to turn width and a negative correlation between speed and leaning angle. The leaning angle of sit-skiing was larger than that of standing-skiing. Pressure center in sit-skiing was correlated with turn width and displaced from left to right, with little displacement from front to rear. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that sit-skiing can be adjusted by inward leaning with respect to turn width, which is also supported by its left-to-right pressure center displacement. © 2022 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA.