Percorrer por autor "Amaro, Catarina M."
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- Comparative Analysis of Pressure Platform and Insole Devices for Plantar Pressure AssessmentPublication . Amaro, Catarina M.; Paulino, Maria F.; Valvez, Sara; Roseiro, Luis; Castro, Maria António; Amaro, Ana M.Foot plantar pressure refers to the pressure or force that the foot generates in contact with the ground, varying across different regions of the foot. This parameter is essential in static and dynamic analyses to access accurate diagnoses, study the human body biomechanics, create functional footwear designs, aid in rehabilitation and physiotherapy, and prevent injuries in athletes during sports practice. This study presents an experimental comparison between two different plantar pressure measurement devices, Pedar® (sensorized insoles) and Physiosensing® (pressure platform). The devices were selected based on their capacity to measure contact area and peak pressure points. Results showed that Physiosensing® provided a more uniform measurement of the contact area, proving its efficiency for weight distribution and stability analysis applications, particularly in posture assessment and balance studies. The Pedar® system showed higher capacity in peak pressure point detection. Therefore, the insole system is more suitable for applications requiring precise high-pressure zone localization. Comparative analysis highlights the strengths and limitations of each device and offers insights regarding its optimal usage in clinical, sports, and research settings.
- EMG Activity of the Biceps and Triceps Brachii During Basketball Chest Pass and Reception: Group Differences Based on Age, Experience, and Limb DominancePublication . Amaro, Catarina M.; Castro, Maria António; Amaro, Ana M.Understanding muscle activation patterns during sport-specific skills is essential for optimizing performance and training strategies. In basketball, upper limb actions such as passing and receiving require precise coordination and effective neuromuscular control. The main goal of this study was to analyze and compare the muscle activity of the biceps brachii and triceps brachii during the execution and reception of the two-handed chest pass in basketball players with different levels of competitive experience. Surface electromyography (EMG) data were collected from 14 federated athletes, aged between 11 and 29 years, using the BioSignal Plux system. Participants were allocated into two groups according to their playing experience. Muscle activation was analysed in terms of activation time (AT) and percentage of muscle activation (%MA), normalised to maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). A linear mixed model was used to evaluate the effects of experience level, limb dominance, and their interaction while accounting for repeated measures within participants. No significant differences were observed between dominant and non-dominant limbs for any variable. Significant differences between experience/ age groups were identified mainly in the triceps brachii, particularly for activation time in the lateral head and %MA in the long head. In general, more experienced/aged athletes demonstrated higher levels of neuromuscular activation and shorter activation times, suggesting different motor control strategies. A significant positive association was found between years of practice and %MA of the long head of the triceps brachii. These findings provide novel insights into neuromuscular recruitment during both the execution and reception phases of the basketball chest pass and may inform training strategies aimed at enhancing technical efficiency across developmental stages.
- Influence of Jump and Ball Release Parameters on Shooting Accuracy in Basketball Under Varying ConstraintsPublication . Amaro, Catarina M.; Castro, Maria António; Mendes, Rui; Rice, Hannah; Gomes, Beatriz B.Background: This study investigates how both jump-related (jump height and flight time) and ball-related parameters (release height, release angle, and velocity) influence shooting accuracy in basketball under different contextual constraints. Methods: Eighteen senior players competing in the national championship (11 females and 7 males; 22.0 ± 3.7 years) performed 90 shots each across three positions (left 45°, middle 90°, right 45°) and three shooting conditions (baseline, simulated gym audience noise, and simulated opposition). Jump variables were derived from force platforms, while ball kinematics were extracted using a high-speed Qualisys camera system. Results: A three-way ANOVA revealed no systematic effects of position or opposition, and only a small effect of noise on flight time (p = 0.019), which was not confirmed by the Linear Mixed Model. Comparisons between successful and missed shots indicated significantly higher flight time, jump height, and release height, and a tendency for higher release velocity in successful attempts, with no differences in release angle. Spearman correlation showed weak associations between biomechanical variables and shooting accuracy (R2 = 0.005–0.012). Conclusions: These findings suggest that while adaptive biomechanical changes occur under contextual constraints, their isolated impact on shot success is limited. Successful performance appears to rely more strongly on release-related parameters, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to training that integrates technical, perceptual, and psychological dimensions.
- Phase-specific force–time adaptations in basketball jump shots under environmental constraintsPublication . Amaro, Catarina M.; Mendes, Rui; Castro, Maria António; Rice, Hannah; Gomes, Beatriz B.This study examined whether task-related and environmental constraints influence the vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) waveform during the basketball jump shot, with a focus on phase-specific adaptations across shooting positions. Eighteen senior basketball players performed jump shots from three shooting positions (45° right, middle, 45° left) under three conditions: baseline, simulated defensive opposition, and simulated gym audience noise. vGRF signals were recorded using a force platform and time-normalized to 0–100% of the movement cycle. One-dimensional Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) was applied using a hierarchical region-of-interest (ROI) approach, focusing on the unweighting, braking, and propulsive phases. Group-level effects were tested using a two-way SPM{F} ANOVA (Constraint × Position). Exploratory intra-individual SPM{t} analyses were conducted to examine athlete-specific adaptations. No significant main effects of constraint or position, and no constraint × position interactions were observed at the group level in any ROI (α = 0.05). Exploratory intra-individual analyses revealed heterogeneous, athlete-specific adaptations to external constraints and shooting position, predominantly during the braking and propulsive phases, with substantial variability in the timing and presence of significant clusters across athletes. The results indicate that experienced basketball players preserve a stable force–time organization during the jump shot despite environmental and task-related constraints. While group-level mechanical patterns remain invariant, individual athletes may exhibit phase-specific adaptations that do not generalize across the population. These findings underscore the importance of hierarchical and individualized analytical approaches for understanding skilled performance and support the use of ROI-based SPM for the biomechanical analysis of complex movement tasks.
- Visual Fixations in Basketball Shooting: Differences between Shooting ConditionsPublication . Amaro, Catarina M.; Castro, Maria António; Mendes, Rui; Gomes, Beatriz B.Basketball is a sport where shooting is one of the most important factors that determines the success or failure of the teams. Therefore, basketball players need to shoot the ball accurately. The present study aimed to evaluate whether different shooting conditions influence the visual behavior of athletes. For this, the Tobbi Pro Glasses 3 equipment was used to evaluate the time of the first fixation, the number of fixations, and the total time of fixations in the basket, during the shooting movement. Different distances to the basket, simulated gym audience noise, and shooting with opposition were considered. A group of 18 athletes with an average age of 22 ± 3.72 years and an average basketball practice experience of 12.5 ± 4.52 years performed 10 valid shots from different distances and different shooting angles, with different restrictions, namely, shooting with simulated opposition and gym audience noise. Statistically significant differences between shooting with opposition and baseline, in terms of the number of fixations and the total time of fixation, were found. Regarding shooting with gym audience noise, differences only occur for the total time of fixations in one position. Despite this, in all variables and positions, the values were lower in shooting with constraints compared to the baseline.