PURPOSE This study aimed to explore ways to utilize augmented reality (AR) in school sports and leisure by examining the case of an elementary school sports club using augmented reality-based e-sports. METHODS A self-study approach and Eisner's(1995) educational criticism were utilized. Data including photos, videos, literature, and memory boxes related to the elementary school AR sports club were collected weekly during the school semesters from March 2023 to January 2024, spanning a total of 30 weeks. The data were analyzed following the stages of analysis by Elo & Kyngäs(2007). RESULTS Augmented reality can act as a personalized exercise coach by visualizing physical activity information. Through posture and movement analysis, education on physical strength and expression can be provided that is linked to home; it can also expand the range of sports experiences and create a new sports culture. In order to effectively utilize AR, edtech field experts must be trained, and content must be developed through cooperation between companies and schools. The educational effectiveness of the content must be verified and the management system must be inspected, and public facilities utilizing edtech must be expanded. CONCLUSIONS AR has endless development potential in school sports and leisure, but these will require active interest and support from educational authorities.
PURPOSE This study conducted a longitudinal analysis of physical activity levels and characteristics of middle-school boys and girls over a three-year period before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS This study used a sequential mixed-methods research design. In the quantitative study; three-dimensional accelerometers were used to measure weekly physical activity and sedentary time over three years (2019, 2020, and 2021) among 33 middle-school boys and girls, and the data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance. In the qualitative study, data were collected and analyzed through focus group interviews with five participants. RESULTS The quantitative study indicated a significant increase in sedentary behavior and significant decrease in low-intensity activity and MVPA during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the second year of the pandemic, no significant difference was observed in sedentary behavior, low-intensity activity, and MVPA compared to the data collected in the first year. During the pandemic’s first year, qualitative study identified the following physical activity problems: “lockdowns,” “sedentarization of leisure,” and “reduced structured physical activity.” The following reasons were identified for the lack of improvement in physical activity during the second year: “intensified sedentary lifestyle habits,” “weak social networks,” and “lack of energy to exercise.” CONCLUSIONS The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant decrease in physical activity and a significant increase in sedentary behavior among middle-school students in South Korea, and even as the environments for physical activity have recovered, the physical activity problems of the early stages of the pandemic have not improved.
PURPOSE This study aimed to prove the mediator effect of skill level on participation frequency and injury level of leisure sports players with the highest injury rate. METHODS Raw data of the “2019 Sports Safety accident data” conducted by the Korea Sports Safety Foundation were used for this study. We analyzed 857 leisure sports players participating in events with the top four highest injury rates (Basketball, Soccer, Baseball/Softball, Foot Volleyball). Frequency, descriptive statistics, and correlation analyses using SPSS version 27.0 and Process macro model 4 were employed for analysis. RESULTS The results regarding participation frequency, injury severity, and skill level among recreational athletes are as follows. First, a positive correlation was established between the participation frequency of recreational athletes and their skill levels. Second, the correlation between participation frequency and injury severity was observed only in soccer and basketball. Third, skill level plays a mediating role in the relationship between participation frequency and injury level. The results indicate that as the participation frequency among leisure sports players who participate in ball sports with a high injury rate increases, this affects the degree of injury. CONCLUSIONS Skill level appears to play a mediating role in the relationship between participation frequency and injury level. Based on the results, we recommend safety education not only on the relationship between participation frequency and injury level, but also the intermediary role of skill level.
PURPOSE This study investigated the impact of underweight and hand grip strength (HGS) levels on the risk of all-cause mortality in older adults. METHODS Data from the 2006 baseline and 2020 follow-up assessments of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA), involving 3,009 older Koreans (≥65 years) were used in the study. Participants were categorized based on body mass index (BMI) as underweight, normal, overweight, or obese and grouped according to the Asian Working Group Sarcopenia criteria into high or low HGS. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of all-cause mortality according to BMI and HGS categories. RESULTS During the 11.3±4.0 years follow-up period, 1,334 deaths from all causes occurred. The risk of death by BMI and HGS level was analyzed. The results showed that the risk of death in the overweight and high HGS group (HR=0.773, p=.016) was significantly lower than that in the normal weight & high HGS group (HR=1). In comparison, the risk of death in the underweight & low HGS group (HR=1.930, p<.001) and the normal weight & high HGS group (HR=1.225, p=.014) were significantly higher than normal weight & high HGS. However, the risk of death in the underweight and high HGS group showed no significant difference compared to the normal weight and high HGS group. CONCLUSIONS The current findings suggest that improving muscle strength through regular exercise may be important in preventing the risk of all-cause mortality due to being underweight.
PURPOSE This study aimed to compare body composition, physical fitness, maximum muscle strength, and blood lactate concentration according to the level of aerobic capacity in Keirin cyclists. METHODS Forty-four Keirin cyclists participated in this study and were divided into three groups: the top 20% VO2max group (TG, n=9), the middle 20% VO2max group (MG, n=9), and the low 20% VO2max group (LG, n=9). The study measured body composition, physical fitness, maximum muscle strength, and blood lactate concentration in Keirin cyclists. Differences between groups were determined using one-way ANOVA analysis. RESULTS Body weight, percentage of body fat, and body mass index were significantly higher in the LG than in the TG and MG. The vertical jump and maximum muscle strength were significantly higher in the TG and MG than in the LG. Additionally, blood lactate concentrations immediately after exhaustive exercise and during the 5-minute recovery periods were higher in the LG than in the TG and MG. Moreover, the time to exhaustion, HRmax and maximum power were the highest in the TG. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest new information that levels of aerobic capacity in male Keirin cyclists might be a crucial predictor of cycling performance and recovery ability.
PURPOSE This study aimed to verify the criterion validity of the two-minute step test in older Korean adults, develop an equation for predicting VO2max, and verify cross-validation. METHODS A submaximal exercise test and the two-minute walk test were performed on 150 older adults (74 males and 74 females) aged 65 years or older. Correlation analysis was performed to confirm criterion validity. An equation for estimating VO2max was developed through multiple regression analysis, and cross-validation was confirmed by performing a correlation analysis between measured and predicted values of VO2max. RESULTS The correlation coefficient between VO2max and the two-minute step test was 0.457 (p<.001). The adjusted R2 of the developed VO2max prediction equation was 0.430 (p<.001), and the explanatory variables finally selected were sex, age, number of steps in the two-minute step test, and percentage of body fat. The correlation coefficient between the measured VO2max (19.08±4.36) and the predicted VO2max (19.73±3.36) was 0.654 (p<.001). CONCLUSIONS This study confirmed the criterion validity of the two-minute step test in older Korean adults, and the cross-validation of the developed VO2max prediction formula was verified. The explanatory variables of the prediction equation will be easy to apply in the field, and more meaningful results will be derived if the validity of the prediction equation developed for a larger number of participants is verified.
PURPOSE For student-athletes to be able to successfully dedicate themselves to training and competition, the following key factors play an important role: The coach, team climate, and individual motivational characteristics. To test this hypothesis, the structural relationships between having a perceived autonomy support, a caring climate, basic psychological needs, and sport commitment were analyzed. METHODS Participants were 297 high school athletes registered with the Korea Olympic Committee (203 males, 94 females, Mage=17.88 years). Data were collected using sports climate questionnaires for autonomy support, caring climate scale, basic psychological needs scale, and sport commitment measurement. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and structural equation modeling. RESULTS The model’s fitness was indicated by x2/df=2.797 (x2=106.288, df=38), CFI=.977, TLI=.967, RMSEA=.078 (90% CI=.061, .096). Examining the various path coefficients revealed that coach autonomy support had a positive effect on the athlete’s caring climate, basic psychological needs, and sport commitment. The caring climate had a significant effect on basic psychological needs, but did not have a statistically significant effect on sport commitment. Finally, basic psychological needs had a positive effect on sport commitment. CONCLUSIONS Coach autonomy support fosters a caring climate, and athletes who are able to perceive this are able to dedicate themselves to their sport since their basic physiological needs are met. Therefore, coaches should use appropriate coaching strategies to enhance athletes' autonomy and foster a caring climate, as both are essential factors for meeting athletes' psychological needs and promoting sport commitment.
PURPOSE The quiet eye (QE) is defined as the final fixation time that is a specific target prior to initiating movement. This study aimed to identify the cause of QE in golf putting and to present an efficient practice method for improving putting skills. METHODS Thirty participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups. Each group practiced golf putting in different ways for two days. RESULTS The QE group showed a significant difference in putting scores, which was higher than that of the control group. The visual-occlusion group showed no difference compared to the other groups in terms of putting scores. The QE group showed a significant difference in terms of QE in the retention and competition tests compared to the pretest. The control group tended to have a slightly longer QE in competition tests compared to the pretest. The visualocclusion group showed no statistically significant difference in QE based on the period. All three groups had significantly longer swing times over the selected period. There was no significant difference in terms of the alpha power of the occipital lobe based on group and period. CONCLUSIONS The position of the visual-occlusion group became stable. However, the QE did not lengthen. The QE group had a longer QE. Furthermore, the control group that practiced with their eyes open tended to have longer QE. Therefore, QE may be related to visual-based cognitive processing rather than posturalkinematics. Finally, this study proved that QE practice is a more efficient method for novices in golf putting.
PURPOSE This study aimed to verify the accuracy of three-dimensional (3D) motion data produced through artificial intelligence-based user motion recognition technology with images obtained using a smartphone monocular camera. This was done to explore the possibility of developing an application that can improve the reliability of the measurement of physical activity performing motions and feedback provision. METHODS To check the accuracy of the artificial intelligence-based 3D motion analysis system that utilized a semi-supervised learning method, a commercialized 3D infrared motion analysis system measured and compared motions on three movement planes, motions with limited joint movement, and fast motions in a wide moving range. RESULTS The motions on the coronal and sagittal planes produced through the 3D motion analysis application showed very high measurement accuracy; however, the accuracy of the measurement of motions on the horizontal plane, which could not be measured directly with a camera, was relatively lower than that of the coronal and sagittal planes. Accuracy in measuring 3D motion was moderate in moving motions and low in motions with limited joint movement. CONCLUSIONS For the developed 3D motion analysis system to be used in online physical education, the types of physical activities included in the program should be comprehensively composed through the analysis of the content system of the physical education curriculum and the resultant physical activities.
PURPOSE This study aims to help improve performance by comparing and analyzing the kinematic variables for each upper and lower extremities segment when two groups of players attack the national women’s fencing players in a match situation. METHODS This study divided the movement time, movement time ratio, Fente step length change, angle factor at each event, and velocity factor of the fencing point of a sword at each event into the Olympic medalists’ group (Group A) and the international competition winners group (Group B) during the fencing Marche Fente. An independent t-test was performed for each factor, and the results were compared. RESULTS As a result, the difference between the two groups in movement time was statistically significant in the front of the foot in the velocity factor. However, no statistical significance was found between the two groups in the front angle of the trunk, the elbow angle, and the knee angle. CONCLUSIONS This indicates that group A and group B are both outstanding players with the best performance, so they are similar in the details of the movements except for the very slight difference in time and velocity. Therefore, the average of the result values of the joint angle will be a feedback index for fencing beginners or education subjects who are now starting to fencing.
