The use of wearable sensors to monitor internal training load in fencers

• Main Author: Phua, Juan Peng
• Other Authors: -
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2021
• Subjects: Science::General
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/153071
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Introduction: The purpose of this study is to identify inertial measurement units (IMU) acceleration signals correlate well with traditional internal load measurements such as heart rate (HR) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE). Methods: Ten Singapore fencers of varying skill level wore a HR monitor and an IMU placed on the inferior lateral sternum, beside the HR monitor, and performed three oneminute bouts, with 30 second rests between each bout. At the end of each bout, their HR and CR-10 RPE was taken. A third order low pass butterworth filter was applied to the signal with a cut off frequency if 6.17Hz. The cutoff frequency was determined after a residual analysis of the cutoff frequencies was done. Internal load of arbitrary units was derived from IMU signals based on existing literature, and linear regression was performed to determine the relationship between the signal and HR and RPE. Results: The mean HR was 171.3 ± 12.2 and the mean RPE was 4.89 ± 1.29. Of the different internal load indicators used to calculate internal load, Loadz and Loadintegral showed statistically significant results (p < .05) with the highest correlation between Loadz and RPE. Loadz had a mean of 4110 ±3 66 a.u. (R = .669; p = .002 < .05). Conclusion: In conclusion, there is a strong positive linear relationship between IMU signals and traditional internal load measurements. However, as fencing is planar specific to the anterior-posterior plane, only the specific axis of movement is required in calculating internal load from an IMU.