Measuring pole forces in seated shot put: a case study

Abstract

The use of a throwing pole in seated shot put is prevalent across many athletes with varying impairment types in para-athletics and it has been shown to have a large impact on throwing technique. However, the measurement of throwing pole forces in seated shot put has not been reported previously in the research literature, leading to a considerable barrier to a better understanding and optimisation of performance. In this research, the first set of pole force measurements in seated throwing is presented, along with a comparison between two methods for such measurement: a direct load-sensing and a deflection-based method, where the latter requires considerably less specialised equipment than the former. From this, the measurement of pole forces without an instrumented pole is found to be feasible (RMSE < 10%), thus providing a simpler option for the measurement of pole forces in seated throwing. In addition, unexpected resonant pole effects (5-6 Hz) are observed during the throw which may have an interaction with the way athletes apply force to the pole. The methods and findings presented are intended to provide a platform for future research.