MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY AND NEUROMUSCULAR REGULATION IN ELITE SPRINT ORIENTEERING: A HIGH-RESOLUTION COMPETITION CASE ANALYSIS
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https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7973-3247
Abstract
Sprint orienteering requires rapid accelerations, repeated directional changes, and sustained high-intensity locomotion under cognitive load, yet mechanical efficiency and neuromuscular regulation during elite competition remain insufficiently explored. The aim of this study was to examine mechanical efficiency and neuromuscular regulation in elite sprint orienteering across different competition contexts. A high-resolution case-study design was applied, analyzing second-by-second wearable biomechanical data from two elite male orienteers across three sprint competitions each (national and European Championship events). Ground contact time (GCT), leg spring stiffness (LSS), mechanical variability, drift patterns, and power–stiffness coupling were evaluated using time-based segmentation to assess fatigue-related mechanical responses and competition-specific adaptations. International races, particularly the Knock-Out Sprint format, were characterized by shorter ground contact times in both athletes, indicating enhanced reactive force application. Leg spring stiffness remained relatively stable across competitions, suggesting preserved elastic energy regulation despite reduced contact time. Distinct athlete-specific patterns emerged in mechanical variability, drift behavior, and power–stiffness coupling, highlighting divergent neuromuscular strategies under competitive stress. These findings indicate that sprint orienteering performance is influenced not only by physiological intensity but also by fatigue-related mechanical regulation. The small sample size and reliance on wearable-derived estimates limit generalizability. Practically, high-resolution biomechanical monitoring may support individualized performance profiling and training prescription. The originality of this study lies in its second-by-second competition analysis of mechanical efficiency in elite sprint orienteering.
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orienteering performance, running biomechanics, stiffness regulation, stride variability, fatigue mechanics
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