Gender differences in trunk acceleration and related posture during shuttle run cutting

Measurements using an accelerometer reflect the impact applied to the trunk. Measurement of trunk acceleration has the possibility of reflecting the typical characteristics of trunk motion during cutting. However, analysis of trunk acceleration data during cutting manoeuvres has not been previously conducted. This study aimed to analyse trunk acceleration during cutting manoeuvres to examine any gender differences or a relationship with posture. All participants (eight male and eight female college soccer athletes) performed a shuttle run cutting task, and trunk accelerations (medio-lateral, vertical, and antero-posterior) were calculated. The peak acceleration (G) and total magnitude during the 200 ms after foot contact were measured, and the forward trunk inclination and femoral angle were calculated from the video images taken using a sagittal plane camera. Peak vertical acceleration (mean, s) was significantly greater among female athletes than among male athletes (-2.18, s = 0.84 G; -1.15, s = 0.45 G, respectively; p < 0.01). Medio-lateral and anteroposterior peak acceleration and the total magnitude in all directions were not significantly different between genders. Moderate negative correlations were found between vertical peak acceleration and trunk forward inclination and femoral inclination (r = -0.57, p < 0.05; r = -0.69, p < 0.01, respectively). The difference in vertical acceleration between genders has the possibility to reflect a stiff cutting movement among female athletes. The acceleration of the upper trunk may be an index for evaluating cutting movements.