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PT 384: Kinesiology Movement Analysis Video Project

Activity Description

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The project is a video-based movement analysis of a physical motion (i.e. soccer kick, baseball throw). Students choose a 10-second motion to analyze (e.g. throw a baseball or step off a staire), video tape the motion, and then put it into a format that they can share with classmates in a presentation.

They are required to shot from multiple angles and include both full speed video clips and slow motion video clips of the motion and provide a five-page report analyzing the motion of the muscles and joints.

“We have to start with learning a lot about the muscles and their locations and how they work. So after, we’ve learned that, we like to go to the next step which is to apply that knowledge to human movement.

By looking very carefully at a small motion, maybe throwing a baseball or kicking a ball, we may be able to analyze ten or twelve different muscles and how they interact with each other during that very short period of time.” – Renee Borromeo

 

About the Course Project

Course: PT 384 – Applied Kinesiology
Instructor: Renee Borromeo, Mont Alto
Number of Students: 20 in a typical semester
Semester: Spring 2009
Duration of Assignment: Several weeks

Benefits

Students are able to discuss the are able to use the video footage to analyze how muscles interact at a very detailed level.

“Students don’t believe me that they can write a five-page paper off stepping up to one step, but they can. And when you look at the minute detail in the video, you can really see small motions that go together to make the one overall motion. .” – Renee Borromeo

The video project also allows students to synthesize what they have learned and to discuss their analysis with their peers in a group setting.

“This video project generates more questions than anything else that I do in any other class. The students come to me or e-mail me all kinds of questions, so I know they’re thinking and that’s the most important thing. This project really makes them think.

Other things I assign them to do in all honesty make them memorize. I make them memorize muscles, bones and spots on bones where muscles are attached, but this really almost forces them to use that knowledge to apply it to an analysis. And I think that’s the kind of thing that will be made into long term memories that they will be able to retain and use in later courses.” – Renee Borromeo

 

Applications to Other Courses

Analysis of motion could apply in courses on performing arts, animal science and some physical science or engineering courses.

Description for Students

Computer Based Movement Analysis Project

Work in groups of 3-4 and select a sports movement or activity of your choice (must have instructor approval). This activity must involve at least 3 major joints of the body. Limit the scope of the paper to 3 joints in one specific motion. (Example: Analysis of the hip, knee, and ankle joints during an instep soccer kick; Analysis of the shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints during an overhead baseball throw) Try to break down the activity into phases for analysis (Example: for a jump, you might have a preparatory phase, a take-off phase, and a landing phase)

The project should include a video clip of the activity.  Video cameras and video editing assistance are available in the lab in the library. The text of the report should be well-organized and reference the video clip often.  Still pictures form the clip or from other sources may be included in the document to help illustrate certain points.  All documents should be posted on the students’ home pages on the web and/or submitted to the instructor via ANGEL drop box by the specified due date. One hard copy of the text must be handed into the instructor on the due date.

Be sure to include the following:

  1. Title page: include the name of the sport or activity and the authors’ names.
  2. Video clip and still pictures of the phases of the activity. Be sure images are labeled and referred to in the body of the text. If images copied from another source, be sure to reference the source.
  3. Description of the starting position. Be precise and use anatomical terms where appropriate.
  4. A brief description of the complete activity from beginning to end, discussing the entire body movement.
  5. Muscular analysis of 3 joints which work sequentially or synergistically, including:
    1. Agonists or prime movers
    2. Type of contractions (isometric, isotonic, concentric, eccentric)
    3. Synergists and/or fixators (if appropriate)
  6. Very brief summary or concluding statement.
  7. Bibliography of at least 3 sources, one of which may be the course text.
  8. ALL OUTLINES, VIDEOS, AND COMPLETED PROJECTS ARE DUE ON DATES SPECIFIED ON THE COURSE SCHEDULE.  EACH PRELIMINARY ASSIGNMENT IS WORTH 10 POINTS TOWARD THE TOTAL HOMEWORK/QUIZ GRADE.
  9.  Students will provide a brief (< 10 min) presentation of their project to the class on the day the projects are due.

Objectives

Course Objectives

  1. Learn elements of human anatomy, particularly in terms of describing its possible movements.
  2. Describe types of motion for different parts of the body including how different body parts function in an engineering sense.
  3. Describe how physical forces such as torque and gravity affect the motion of different parts of the human body

Project Objectives

  1. Identify and analyze the interaction of muscles in a short motion.

Project Stages

  1. Students identify a 10-second motion to analyze (subject to instructor approval).
  2. Students tape one subject performing the motion (usually a member of the team) from multiple angles (close-up, far away, each side).
  3. Students review the footage as a team to write a joint five-page report.
  4. The teams show the footage then present their analysis in a class presentation.
  5. Students submit the footage and video clip to the instructor for a grade.

Skills Utilized

Teamwork, communication, time management, understanding of muscle and joint activity, iMovie, video taping

Equipment and Software Used

iMovie, video camera, microphone if applicable, class projector to present, iMac Computer

Duration of Assignment

12 weeks

Grading Process

The final project is worth 10% of the course grade. The grading rubric is shown below.

Final Project Criteria Possible Score
Video/Diagrams: show phases of movement; correlate to text; are clear; are referenced if copied 10
Description of whole movement: general terms; all major areas of body covered; content accurate 10
Description of starting position: anatomical terms; clear and accurate 10
Inclusion of 3 joints: joints are clearly defined; joint movements are clear and correct 15
Muscular action: prime movers identified; type of contraction is clear and correct; synergists included, if appropriate 15
Spelling, grammar, neatness 10
Bibliography 5
Presentation 15
Cooperative effort 10
Total 100