Cain C T Clark1, Claire M Barnes2, Michael J Duncan3, Huw D Summers2, Gareth Stratton4. 1. Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences (CSELS), Coventry University, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK; Engineering Behaviour Analytics in Sport and Exercise (EBASE) Research group, School of Sports and Exercise Sciences, Swansea University, Bay Campus, Fabian Way, Swansea SA1 8EN, UK. Electronic address: cain.clark@coventry.ac.uk. 2. Engineering Behaviour Analytics in Sport and Exercise (EBASE) Research group, School of Sports and Exercise Sciences, Swansea University, Bay Campus, Fabian Way, Swansea SA1 8EN, UK; Systems and Process Engineering Centre, College of Engineering, Swansea University, Bay Campus, Fabian Way, Swansea SA1 8EN, UK. 3. Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences (CSELS), Coventry University, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK. 4. Engineering Behaviour Analytics in Sport and Exercise (EBASE) Research group, School of Sports and Exercise Sciences, Swansea University, Bay Campus, Fabian Way, Swansea SA1 8EN, UK; Applied Sport, Technology, Exercise and Medicine (A-STEM), College of Engineering, Swansea University, Bay Campus, Fabian Way, Swansea SA1 8EN, UK.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: While novel analytical methods have been used to examine movement behaviours, to date, no studies have examined whether a frequency-based measure, such a spectral purity, is useful in explaining key facets of human movement. The aim of this study was to investigate movement and gait quality, physical activity and motor competence using principal component analysis. METHODS: Sixty-five children (38 boys, 4.3 ± 0.7y, 1.04 ± 0.05 m, 17.8 ± 3.2 kg, BMI; 16.2 ± 1.9 kg∙m2) took part in this study. Measures included accelerometer-derived physical activity and movement quality (spectral purity), motor competence (Movement Assessment Battery for Children 2nd edition; MABC2), height, weight and waist circumference. All data were subjected to a principal component analysis, and the internal consistency of resultant components were assessed using Cronbach's alpha. RESULTS: Two principal components, with excellent internal consistency (Cronbach α >0.9) were found; the 1st principal component, termed "movement component", contained spectral purity, traffic light MABC2 score, fine motor% and gross motor% (α = 0.93); the 2nd principal component, termed "anthropometric component", contained weight, BMI, BMI% and body fat% (α = 0.91). CONCLUSION: The results of the present study demonstrate that accelerometric analyses can be used to assess motor competence in an automated manner, and that spectral purity is a meaningful, indicative, metric related to children's movement quality.
OBJECTIVE: While novel analytical methods have been used to examine movement behaviours, to date, no studies have examined whether a frequency-based measure, such a spectral purity, is useful in explaining key facets of human movement. The aim of this study was to investigate movement and gait quality, physical activity and motor competence using principal component analysis. METHODS: Sixty-five children (38 boys, 4.3 ± 0.7y, 1.04 ± 0.05 m, 17.8 ± 3.2 kg, BMI; 16.2 ± 1.9 kg∙m2) took part in this study. Measures included accelerometer-derived physical activity and movement quality (spectral purity), motor competence (Movement Assessment Battery for Children 2nd edition; MABC2), height, weight and waist circumference. All data were subjected to a principal component analysis, and the internal consistency of resultant components were assessed using Cronbach's alpha. RESULTS: Two principal components, with excellent internal consistency (Cronbach α >0.9) were found; the 1st principal component, termed "movement component", contained spectral purity, traffic light MABC2 score, fine motor% and gross motor% (α = 0.93); the 2nd principal component, termed "anthropometric component", contained weight, BMI, BMI% and body fat% (α = 0.91). CONCLUSION: The results of the present study demonstrate that accelerometric analyses can be used to assess motor competence in an automated manner, and that spectral purity is a meaningful, indicative, metric related to children's movement quality.