SPEX 201: Laboratory One

Motion Analysis Techniques

Objectives

In this laboratory you will:

1. Gain experience preparing for and capturing two-dimensional video of treadmill

walking and running.

2. Identify anatomical landmarks and make anatomical measurements that are important
for gait analysis.

3. Set up a camera and the filming environment to capture reliable video footage.

4. Understand how camera set up (e.g., camera exposure, frame rate and aperture) and
identification of joint centres may affect 2D kinematic analysis.

This laboratory is worth 8% of your overall course mark and is made up of check-in and
check-out questions (3%) and a practical assessment (5%). There is no written report for
this laboratory. The check-in and check-out questions are to ensure you have familiarised
yourselves with the procedures of the laboratory, understand the relevant content and are
aware of skills this lab introduces.

You should read the laboratory manual BEFORE you attend your designated laboratory
stream. You will be given a brief quiz at the beginning and end of the laboratory stream
testing your understanding of the laboratory’s theoretical content and experimental
protocol. Your answers to the quizzes will be used to determine your check-in and check-
out mark out of 10.

Required Pre-laboratory Reading

Payton, C., & Hudson, C. (2018). Motion analysis using video. In C. Payton & A. Burden
(Eds.), Biomechanical evaluation of movement in sport and exercise: The British Association
of Sport and Exercise Sciences Guide (2nd ed., pp. 44–58). London: Routledge.

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Introduction

Movement analysis is one of the most essential skills of the biomechanist. Optical motion
capture (i.e. using cameras) still remains the gold standard technique for estimating joint
centres and segment positions; however, to achieve satisfactory precision several skills,
including anatomical landmark palpation, marker placement, camera exposure and laboratory
setup must be practised and refined.

In this laboratory you will practise finding specific anatomical landmarks, making anatomical
measurements, preparing a participant for an experiment, setting up a camera and the filming
environment and capturing video.

Method

Equipment

• Sony cameras
• Dartfish 10 Live S (10.19, build 420. Fribourg, Switzerland)
• Reflective markers
• Strapping tape
• Treadmill
• Measuring tape
• Calibration tool
• String
• Laser level

NOTES:

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Procedure

Overview. The session will begin with a discussion of the lab procedures, focusing on
video camera set-up procedures for two-dimensional quantitative analysis, landmark
estimation and an overview of the practical assessment. You will capture 20 s of treadmill
walking and running for 2D analysis (analysis to be carried out in Lab 2). You will estimate
the location of and place markers on the joint centres of the lower limb nearest the camera.
Practical assessment will involve your demonstrator grading the accuracy of your anatomical
landmark estimation in the lab, as well as the quality of your video after the lab.

Practical Details

1. Within your subgroup, pair up with one classmate. After changing into shorts, palpate,
identify and with a pen, mark the following anatomical landmarks on your laboratory
partner *:

*In a group of three, ensure that each person marks the location of the anatomical landmarks
on another student (i.e., one group member may mark-up the other side of a participant for
practical assessment purposes).

a) Greater trochanter (hip),

b) lateral femoral condyle (knee),
c) distal end of the lateral malleolus (ankle),
d) lateral aspect of the head of the fifth metatarsal.

Figure 1 NOTES:
Anatomical landmark locations for

retroreflective markers (red dots) to create

segments (green lines) for 2D gait analysis.

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2. Measure and record the distance between landmarks.

Table 1

Length of Segments

Segment Length (m)

Thigh
Shank
Foot

Compare your measurements with other members in your subgroup. These measurements
will be needed for Laboratory 2.

3. Place retro-reflective markers on the appropriate landmarks to enable you to create a 2D

model of the participant’s leg and foot. Use double-sided and strapping tape to ensure
markers do not fall off. You may also need to cover any reflective parts of the shoes your
participant is wearing.

4. Based on your pre-laboratory reading and discussion, set up the camera to capture
sagittal plane motion for 20 s of treadmill walking and running performed by one sub-
group member (from left to right) at their preferred speeds. Record the camera set up
details. You will need to perform some practice trials to ensure that the video settings
you decide to use are appropriate. You will also need a calibration object in the frame;
your demonstrator will help you with this.

Table 2

Camera set-up details

Parameter Set up value

Camera lens height (m)
Distance of the lens to the plane of motion (m)
Frame Rate (Hz)
Shutter speed (s)
Aperture
ISO

NOTES:

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5. Establish your participant’s preferred walking and running speeds and allow them to
familiarise to those speeds under the experimental conditions (note: the participant
should have a flexed elbow when walking / running so that the ‘hip’ marker is not
obscured).

Table 3

Participant’s walking and running speeds

Gait style Speed (m/s)

Walk
Run

6. Record 20 s of locomotion for each of the chosen speeds.

7. Save and store your video files in the appropriate directories as indicated by your
demonstrator. There is no analysis for this laboratory but note that you will use your
videos for analysis in the next lab.

NOTES:

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What to hand in
Laboratory – Assessment Details

1. You will be assessed in class, individually, on the accuracy of your landmark

identification. (4 marks)

2. Your sub-group will be assessed on the quality of the videos you submit. Video quality
will be assessed based on having an appropriate image size, proper light conditions, and
image clarity (especially markers) and appropriate shutter speed. Sub-group members
will receive the same mark for video quality – it is a group effort. (6 marks)

Captured video files should be stored on laboratory computers in specified location (check
with your demonstrator). These video files will be used in Laboratory 2.

What to bring to the next laboratory:

• Description of the laboratory set up;

o Camera height and distance from participant.
o Camera settings (i.e., frame rate, shutter speed etc…).
• Anthropometric / marker placement details;
o Limb lengths and distances between markers.
o Other participant information.
• Details of experimental conditions;
o Speed of walking and running.
o Notes about data collection.

This lab is marked out of 20 (4 marks for landmark identification, 6 marks for video
quality, 10 marks for check-in and check-out questions) and contributes 8% to your
overall grade for the paper.

NOTES:

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Grading Rubric – Motion Analysis Techniques (8%)

0 0.5 1
Anatomical Landmark Landmark identified more than one marker Landmark identified approximately half a
Correct identification of landmark
Identification (4) width away from actual landmark marker width away from actual landmark

Lighting Marker dark on screen Marker dull on screen Marker bright on screen

Poor contrast between marker and skin or Good contrast between marker and skin or
Colour contrast Very poor contrast
shoe shoe
Marker
Visibility
Marker occlusion Marker fully occluded Marker partially occluded Marker not occluded
Video
Quality Crispness Marker is blurry / elongated Marker is somewhat blurred / elongated Marker appears circular
(6)
Too much floor / whole body visible / Lower limb visible BUT too much floor / Lower limb clearly visible and large on
Image Size participant’s limbs small on screen upper body visible screen

Camera optical axis perpendicular to plane

Any 2 set-up elements not visible, or not
General Set-up More than two general set up errors
appropriate
of motion, camera appropriate height, trial
and condition identifier visible

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MARKING SCHEDULE: LABORATORY 1: MOTION ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES (8%)

CHECK-IN/OUT QUESTIONS / 10
ANATOMICAL LANDMARK IDENTIFICATION /4
VIDEO QUALITY /6
LAB ONE TOTAL / 20

TROCHANTER /1
LANDMARK LATERAL FEMORAL CONDYLE /1
IDENTIFICATION
ACCURACY LATERAL MALLEOLUS /1
LATERAL ASPECT 5TH METATARSAL /1

LIGHTING /1
MARKER COLOUR CONTRAST /1
VISIBILITY MARKER OCCLUSION /1
VIDEO QUALITY
CRISPNESS /1
IMAGE SIZE /1
GENERAL SET-UP /1