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Duignan, Ciara
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Duignan, Ciara
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Duignan, Ciara
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Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
- PublicationAssociation of dynamic balance with sports related concussion: a prospective cohort study(Sage, 2018-12-03)
; ; ; ; Background: Concussion is one of the most common sports-related injuries, with little understood about the modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors. Researchers have yet to evaluate the association between modifiable sensorimotor function variables and concussive injury. Purpose: To investigate the association between dynamic balance performance, a discrete measure of sensorimotor function, and concussive injuries. Study Design: Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A total of 109 elite male rugby union players were baseline tested in dynamic balance performance while wearing an inertial sensor and prospectively followed during the 2016-2017 rugby union season. The sample entropy of the inertial sensor gyroscope magnitude signal was derived to provide a discrete measure of dynamic balance performance. Logistic regression modeling was then used to investigate the association among the novel digital biomarker of balance performance, known risk factors of concussion (concussion history, age, and playing position), and subsequent concussive injury. Results: Participant demographic data (mean 6 SD) were as follows: age, 22.6 6 3.6 years; height, 185 6 6.5 cm; weight, 98.9 612.5 kg; body mass index, 28.9 6 2.9 kg/m2; and leg length, 98.8 6 5.5 cm. Of the 109 players, 44 (40.3%) had a history of concussion, while 21 (19.3%) sustained a concussion during the follow-up period. The receiver operating characteristic analysis for the anterior sample entropy demonstrated a statistically significant area under the curve (0.64; 95% CI, 0.52-0.76; P \ .05), with the cutoff score of anterior sample entropy 1.2, which maximized the sensitivity (76.2%) and specificity (53.4%) for identifying individuals who subsequently sustained a concussion. Players with suboptimal balance performance at baseline were at a 2.81-greater odds (95% CI, 1.02-7.74) of sustaining a concussion during the rugby union season than were those with optimal balance performance, even when controlling for concussion history. Conclusion: Rugby union players who possess poorer dynamic balance performance, as measured by a wearable inertial sensor during the Y balance test, have a 3-times-higher relative risk of sustaining a sports-related concussion, even when controlling for history of concussion. These findings have important implications for research and clinical practice, as it identifies a potential modifiable risk factor. Further research is required to investigate this association in a large cohort consisting of males and females across a range of sports.635Scopus© Citations 25 - PublicationThe applications of mobile athlete self-report measures in elite Gaelic Games(University College Dublin. School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, 2020)Advances in athlete monitoring practices are permeating from elite, professional sports to sub-elite and amateur programmes through continuous developments in both the technology itself and the underpinning research. Sports practitioners utilise data in new ways to find a competitive edge, encouraged by an expectation of excellence from athletes who are now more knowledgeable than ever. However, the introduction of technology to a process is not without its challenges, and whilst new methods in sports performance analysis have been game-changing, the use of athlete self-report measures seems yet to realise its potential. As a relatively new progression, there is a dearth of evidence on mobile athlete self-report measures (M-ASRM), particularly in team sports. It remains unclear what the appropriate and inappropriate uses of M-ASRM data are, and how measure design and implementation affect this utility. This programme of research utilised mixed methods to investigate the applications of M-ASRM in elite Gaelic games. Through reviews of the market and the literature, objective analyses of M-ASRM data and exploration of stakeholder experiences, the findings of this thesis have illuminated the concept of M-ASRM in athlete monitoring, by identifying what they are and what they are not, informing their appropriate use cases and the requirements for successful implementation in team sport. Findings from the quantitative methods suggest that rigorous instrument development and implementation in large, controlled studies are required to understand pertinent interpretation of M-ASRM data and use in objective or predictive analysis models. Findings from the qualitative methods suggest established subjective value in communication and information disclosure, remote athlete management, informing decision making and facilitating advanced planning. However, significant barriers to use were identified through an underestimation of the requirements for successful implementation. The challenges related to the measure itself and its limitations, but largely concerned the human factors in recording, reviewing, disseminating and acting on data, in addition to forging stakeholder understanding and engagement. The results of the research are triangulated and underpinned in technology acceptance theory, concluding with the development of considerations for successful M-ASRM implementation in team sport.
538 - PublicationInertial sensory data provides depth to clinical measures of dynamic balance(BMJ, 2017-09-17)
; ; ; ; Objectives: Establish the role a single inertial sensor may play in the objective quantification of dynamic postural stability following acute ankle injuries.Background The Y Balance test (YBT) is one of the most commonly utilised clinical dynamic balance assessments. Research has demonstrated the utility of the YBT in identifying balance deficits in those with acute ankle injuries and chronic ankle instability. However, reach distances fail to provide information relating to the quality of balance strategy and dynamic stability. Motion capture systems are often employed to provide micro-level detail pertaining to an individuals postural stability. However, such systems are expensive, lack accessibility, hinder natural movement and require extensive processing expertise. The addition of inertial sensors may allow for the inexpensive, accessible quantification of postural stability in an unconstrained environment.Case Description Forty-two elite under-20 rugby union players were recruited as part of a wider study. Two athletes were identified to have sustained acute ankle injuries two weeks previously; one lateral ankle sprain and one deltoid ligament sprain. A single inertial sensor was mounted at the level of the 4th lumbar vertebra. Participants completed four practice YBTs bilaterally, prior to completing 3 recorded YBTs. Reach distance and inertial sensor data were recorded for each reach excursion.Outcomes When compared to the group mean, both athletes demonstrated no clinically meaningful reduction in reach distances for all three reach directions. However, both athletes demonstrated a higher 95% ellipsoid volume of sway than the healthy control group for all three directions of the YBT when completed on their affected limb.Conclusions Preliminary analysis suggests that inertial sensor data may provide information relating to the quality of dynamic postural stability following an acute ankle injury. Further investigation is required to establish the role that such measures may play in the assessment and management of ankle injuries.145 - PublicationExploring the Use of Mobile Athlete Self-report Measures in Elite Gaelic Games: A Qualitative ApproachAthlete self-report measures (ASRMs) are used in research and practice as an accurate, practical, and accessible method of athlete monitoring. Mobile adaptations of constructs from validated ASRM have increasingly been used for athlete monitoring in various sports settings; however, insights on the user experience and perceived value of these systems in the applied team sport setting have been limited. This study aimed to portray the experiences of stakeholders using a pre-existing mobile ASRM (M-ASRM) in elite Gaelic games. Twenty-one stakeholders in elite Gaelic games were recruited for this study (players n = 10, coaches and support staff n = 11). Subjects completed a semistructured interview with the lead researcher regarding their experience of using an M-ASRM in practice. Thematic analysis of the transcripts was conducted using NVivo 12 software. Results were defined under the themes of positive and negative user experience. Positive user experience was portrayed through M-ASRM uses and perceived value: communication and information disclosure, remote player monitoring, decision making and advanced planning, and player education and self-management. Negative user experience was portrayed through M-ASRM challenges: player adherence, player dishonesty, coach time and expertise requirements, and sociotechnical and system factors. Results outline the major uses of M-ASRM in elite Gaelic games and, importantly, highlight the key challenges experienced by stakeholders. These results can be applied by coaches, sports medicine professionals, and sports scientists using or intending to use an M-ASRM, providing key considerations to employ for effective use in team sport.
476Scopus© Citations 4 - PublicationDynamic balance performance varies by position but not by age group in elite Rugby Union players a normative study(Taylor & Francis, 2018-12-20)
; ; ; This cohort study aimed to provide normative Y Balance Test scores for an elite Rugby Union population, while investigating the effect player age groups (senior/under-20), playing positions (forwards/backs) and anthropometrics (height and body mass) had on performance. Two-hundred and sixty-one elite male under-20 (n = 50) and senior (n = 211) players completed baseline Y Balance Test during the 2015/2016 season. One-way ANCOVA and post-hoc t-tests were used to investigate the effect playing position, player group, height and weight had on performance. The cohort was then stratified into groups (age group and/or playing position), and normative percentiles were presented. There was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) in Y Balance Test performance between playing positions, when controlling for age group. This difference did not remain when controlling for player body mass. Post-hoc analysis demonstrated that backs had a longer normalised reach distance, with medium-large and small-medium effect sizes for the under-20 and senior cohorts respectively. The one-way ANCOVA analysis suggests that this difference is likely due to the larger differences in player body mass between forward and back playing positions. The normative values presented in this paper may be used by clinicians and researchers to aid injury prevention and rehabilitation strategies.760Scopus© Citations 7