Determining Quality Of A Squatting Movement Using Self-reflection: An Application Of Dynamic Systems

Due to varied perceptions and unique movement patterning, quantifying the quality of human movement is difficult. Adopting a dynamic systems (DS) viewpoint where all factors may contribute to an individual’s movement, a greater quality occurs with less variability. Considering the embodied individual, a DS viewpoint should include understanding how self-perceptions relate to unique movement solutions. PURPOSE: To efficiently quantify the squatting motion (SQM) quality through a comparison of self-perception of movement to specific movement patterning. METHODS: Subjects (N = 21) were asked to complete a modified-Lower Extremity (LE) Functional Scale, then fitted with a 3-D accelerometer (AC) at sternum and asked to perform 20 squats. LE values of perception were compared to AC values recorded for each axis and analyzed using our Python program.The 10 Hz data was minimally smoothed using a Butterworth lowpass filter, which filters out high frequency data, and a moving average, which computes the average of a set number of data points (window) which moves along the data. Our measures consist of questionnaire responses (QR), the amplitude of acceleration (AMP), and the repetition time (RPT). RESULTS: Perception: QR = 74.5 (+ 7.1); Consistency: X-AMP = 0.06 g (+ 0.03); Y-AMP = 0.38 g (+ 0.19), Z-AMP = 0.48 g (+ 0.16); RPT = 1.23 s (+ 0.32); Optimality: RPT-STD to QR r = 0.44 (p < 0.05); Z/X-AMP to Y/Z-AMP: r = 0.61 (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Aligned with a DS viewpoint, the data suggests that individuals who had a higher perception (LE) of movement also had a more consistent pace of SQM (RP-STD to QR) and interestingly a preferred side occurred with a quicker SQM. By developing a computer program to effectively analyze SQM data, we were able to gain insights for assessing and quantifying features of an individual's movement. Ideally, this approach could be used by therapists and coaches to provide invaluable insights on movement performance and programming.