Biofeedback attempts to engage with regulation bodily procedures by (in most cases) generating a signal which can be transmitted via computer screen or loudspeaker, to provide the patient with direct feedback about their execution of the movement in question.

 

By doing this it is possible to increase a subject’s awareness of their body’s actions (mostly joint angles or muscle activity), as the patient can immediately see or hear what the body has done. The necessary proprioceptive awareness to alter habitual movements without some form of outside help is often not present in patients suffering from long term movement disorders. This is where biofeedback is particularly useful, as it increases a patient’s awareness of their movements using external stimuli.

 

Movement expert Schmidt said that „Motor memory is the product of learning“. We have found that this learning process can be accelerated through the use of sports technology and biofeedback.

 

Motor learning is the use of strategies to develop and acquire new movements, consolidate familiar ones, or to combine the two (Rieder). It is therefore an active process, in which bodily awareness can be increased by the subject themselves (Neubert et al., 2001). The objective of research therefore has been to reinforce the 'inner perspective’ of the subject (Freynet, 2008). For the coach this means that they simply have to instigate and aid the learning process. Technology can help this process by giving the coach more possibilities for the design and portrayal of movements and therefore the possibility that the athlete might understand a movement pattern better.

 

Motor learning can be divided into two areas; intrinsic and extrinsic feedback. Intrinsic feedback develops through proprioceptive pathways during movement. Extrinsic feedback however operates via external pathways (Schmidt & Wrisberg, 2008). Schmidt and Wrisberg classify these into Knowledge of Results (KR) and Knowledge of Performance (KP). In KR the athlete receives feedback about the result of the movement but not about how it was executed. KP on the other hand, informs the athlete about the movement quality, giving feedback such as "Your knee is rotating inwards". Biofeedback can be given in the form of both kinematic and kinetic parameters, providing the subject with information about velocity, acceleration, strength and tension. This kind of feedback has been used successfully for several decades now and the research group at Onate verified that faulty movement patterns can be corrected through video feedback in 2005. 

Aktysis offers an immediate indication of joint angles or other parameter on the video live-stream allowing quick feedback to patients. Instantaneous results are a significant feature of this software as Aktisys delivers real-time results. It is both easy to operate and affordable.

 

With Aktisys joint angles can be calculated instantaneously using the Live Stream function, offering direct feedback. Either via camera screen (monitor) or loudspeaker, the software tells to what extent a specific movement sequence has been adhered to, and as a result the coach/athlete can intervene immediately. This function can help to improve faster and also supports the awareness of the own body and poor or compensatory posture and movement patterns.

Simi Motion 2D with force vector and EMG feedback is characterised by its ability to provide instant data for diagnostic and training, showing both ground reaction force with magnitude, point of origin and direction as EMG data in unison. As a result, diagnostic based on these data is possible and the patient receives biofeedback at a level which they themselves will be able to understand. All data can be viewed, analysed and stored with the relative video recording and kinematic data.

 

Simple to use: Live feedback is perfect for enhancing diagnostic possibilities and therapy.

 

With the help of Simi Motion, we have been able to introduce Live Kraftvektor to the area of biofeedback. This software can determine and highlight moments created about joints in certain body positions, allowing the participant to become aware of how the position of the centre of mass changes as they jump, move or stand on the force plate. Subjects can also see how they ought to align their body in such a way that as little stress passes through the joints as possible.

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