This study compared Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and Optical Motion Capture (OMC) systems in measuring peak ankle angles and Range of Motion (ROM) during Countermovement Jumps (CMJ) and Lateral Skater Jumps (LSJ). Data during these agility movements were analyzed and the ankle angles in pitch, roll, and yaw for the IMU were determined using algorithms which integrated gyroscope data, aligned it with foot flat reference, and fused it with accelerometer-derived inclination angles using a complementary filter. OMC data was conventionally derived using Vicon’s inbuilt software algorithms. We hypothesized that IMU-based methods would parallel OMC in capturing peak angles and ROM during CMJ and LSJ landings, with accuracy and reliability assessing via Root Mean Square (RMSE) and Intraclass Correlation (ICC) statistics. For CMJ, high accuracy and reliability were observed in the Peak Positive Frontal angle with RMSE of 6.72˚ and ICC of 0.517. However, LSJ displayed lower performance, with no metric reaching an ICC > 0.5 or an RMSE < 10˚. The study suggests limitations of IMU in accurately capturing ankle joint kinematics in dynamic jumps using these methods.
Cite this paper
Olawore, I. (2024). Measurement of Ankle Joint Kinematics Using IMUs during Countermovement Jumps and Lateral Skater Jumps. Open Access Library Journal, 11, e1809. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1111809.
Peng Cheng, and Oelmann, B. (2010) Joint-Angle Measurement Using Ac-celerometers and Gyroscopes—A Survey. IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, 59, 404-414. https://doi.org/10.1109/tim.2009.2024367
Cho, Y., Jang, S., Cho, J., Kim, M., Lee, H.D., Lee, S.Y., et al. (2018) Evaluation of Validity and Reliability of Inertial Measurement Unit-Based Gait Analysis Systems. Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine, 42, 872-883. https://doi.org/10.5535/arm.2018.42.6.872
Al-Amri, M., Nicholas, K., Button, K., Sparkes, V., Sheeran, L. and Davies, J. (2018) Inertial Measurement Units for Clinical Movement Analysis: Reliability and Concurrent Validity. Sensors, 18, Article No. 719. https://doi.org/10.3390/s18030719
Teufl, W., Miezal, M., Taetz, B., Fröhlich, M. and Bleser, G. (2018) Validity, Test-Retest Reliability and Long-Term Stability of Magnetometer Free Inertial Sensor Based 3D Joint Kinematics. Sen-sors, 18, Article No. 1980. https://doi.org/10.3390/s18071980
Gui, P., Tang, L. and Mukhopadhyay, S. (2015). MEMS Based IMU for Tilting Measurement: Comparison of Complementary and Kalman Filter Based Data Fusion. 2015 IEEE 10th Conference on Industrial Electronics and Applications (ICIEA), Auckland, 15-17 June 2015, 2004-2009. https://doi.org/10.1109/iciea.2015.7334442
Rico-Garcia, M., Botero-Valencia, J. and Hernández-García, R. (2022) Vertical Jump Data from Inertial and Optical Motion Tracking Systems. Data, 7, Article No. 116. https://doi.org/10.3390/data7080116
Chen, H., Schall, M.C., Martin, S.M. and Fethke, N.B. (2023) Drift-Free Joint Angle Calculation Using Inertial Measurement Units without Magnetometers: An Exploration of Sensor Fusion Methods for the Elbow and Wrist. Sensors, 23, Article No. 7053. https://doi.org/10.3390/s23167053
Fang, Z., Woodford, S., Senanayake, D. and Ackland, D. (2023) Conversion of Upper-Limb Inertial Measurement Unit Data to Joint Angles: A Systematic Review. Sensors, 23, Article No. 6535. https://doi.org/10.3390/s23146535
Hindle, B.R., Keogh, J.W.L. and Lorimer, A.V. (2020) Validation of Spatiotemporal and Kinematic Measures in Functional Exercises Using a Minimal Modeling Inertial Sensor Methodology. Sensors, 20, Article No. 4586. https://doi.org/10.3390/s20164586
Lee, J.K. and Jeon, T.H. (2018) IMU-Based but Magnetometer-Free Joint Angle Estimation of Constrained Links. 2018 IEEE SENSORS, New Delhi, 28-31 October 2018, 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1109/icsens.2018.8589825
Seel, T., Raisch, J. and Schauer, T. (2014) IMU-Based Joint Angle Measurement for Gait Analysis. Sensors, 14, 6891-6909. https://doi.org/10.3390/s140406891
Song, S.Y., Pei, Y. and Hsiao-Wecksler, E.T. (2022) Estimating Relative Angles Using Two Inertial Measurement Units without Magnetometers. IEEE Sensors Journal, 22, 19688-19699. https://doi.org/10.1109/jsen.2022.3203346
Zrenner, M., Gradl, S., Jensen, U., Ullrich, M. and Eskofier, B.M. (2018) Comparison of Different Algorithms for Calculating Velocity and Stride Length in Running Using Inertial Measurement Units. Sensors, 18, Article No. 4194. https://doi.org/10.3390/s18124194
Favre, J., Jolles, B.M., Aissaoui, R. and Aminian, K. (2008) Ambulatory Measurement of 3D Knee Joint Angle. Journal of Biomechanics, 41, 1029-1035. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2007.12.003
Honert, E.C., Harrison, K. and Feeney, D. (2023) Evaluating Footwear “in the Wild”: Examining Wrap and Lace Trail Shoe Closures during Trail Running. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 4, Article ID: 1076609. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2022.1076609
Lehmann, D., Laidig, D., Deimel, R. and Seel, T. (2020) Magne-tometer-Free Inertial Motion Tracking of Arbitrary Joints with Range of Motion Constraints. IFAC-PapersOnLine, 53, 16016-16022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifacol.2020.12.401
Seel, T., Graurock, D. and Schauer, T. (2015) Realtime As-sessment of Foot Orientation by Accelerometers and Gyroscopes. Current Directions in Biomedical Engineering, 1, 446-469. https://doi.org/10.1515/cdbme-2015-0112
Takeda, R., Tadano, S., Natorigawa, A., Todoh, M. and Yoshinari, S. (2009) Gait Posture Estimation Using Wearable Acceleration and Gyro Sensors. Journal of Biomechanics, 42, 2486-2494. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2009.07.016
Panoutsakopoulos, V. and Bassa, E. (2023) Countermovement Jump Per-formance Is Related to Ankle Flexibility and Knee Extensors Torque in Female Adolescent Volleyball Athletes. Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology, 8, Article No. 76. https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk8020076
Pryhoda, M.K., Wathen, R.J., Dicharry, J., Shelburne, K.B., Feeney, D., Harrison, K., et al. (2021) Alternative Upper Configurations during Agility-Based Movements: Part 1, Biomechanical Performance. Footwear Science, 13, 91-103. https://doi.org/10.1080/19424280.2020.1853824
Schmidt, M., Jaitner, T., Nolte, K., Rheinländer, C., Wille, S. and Wehn, N. (2014) A Wearable Inertial Sensor Unit for Jump Diagnosis in Multiple Athletes. Proceedings of the 2nd International Congress on Sports Sciences Research and Technology Support, Volume 1, 216-220. https://doi.org/10.5220/0005145902160220
Panoutsakopoulos, V., Kotzamanidou, M.C., Giannakos, A.K. and Kollias, I.A. (2022) Relationship of Vertical Jump Performance and Ankle Joint Range of Motion: Effect of Knee Joint Angle and Handedness in Young Adult Handball Players. Sports, 10, Article No. 86. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports10060086
Terada, M. and Gribble, P.A. (2015) Jump Landing Biomechanics during a Laboratory Recorded Recurrent Ankle Sprain. Foot & Ankle Inter-national, 36, 842-848. https://doi.org/10.1177/1071100715576517
Jaitner, T., Schmidt, M., Nolte, K., Rheinländer, C., Wille, S. and Wehn, N. (2015) Vertical Jump Diagnosis for Multiple Athletes Using a Wearable Inertial Sensor Unit. Sports Technology, 8, 51-57. https://doi.org/10.1080/19346182.2015.1117476
Wu, G., Siegler, S., Allard, P., Kirtley, C., Leardini, A., Rosenbaum, D., et al. (2002) ISB Recommendation on Definitions of Joint Coordinate System of Various Joints for the Reporting of Human Joint Motion—Part I: Ankle, Hip, and Spine. Journal of Biomechanics, 35, 543-548. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0021-9290(01)00222-6
Chai, T. and Draxler, R.R. (2014) Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) or Mean Absolute Error (MAE)?—Arguments against Avoiding RMSE in the Literature. Geoscientific Model Development, 7, 1247-1250. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-7-1247-2014
Fain, A., Hindle, B., Andersen, J., et al. (2022) Transferability of a Previously Validated IMU System for Lower Extremity Kinematics. ISBS Proceedings Archive, 40, 183.
