Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the contributions to stick motion in the field hockey hit by monitoring muscle activity in the arms and trunk and synchronising these with arm and stick kinematics. The hits of ten male, university-level field hockey players were analysed. Whilst their interpretation is complicated by the closed kinetic loop formed by the arms and stick, the data collected here represent a step forward in establishing the contributions from muscular activity
and segmental interactions to the field hockey hit. This study has shown that EMG analysis alone is not sufficient to explain the nature of muscular activity patterns and that the temporal aspects of EMG need to be examined in combination with kinematic data to ascertain the role of muscular activity during movement.