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The following is another post in a series on the Wake Forest Bridge Seminar, which was put on by Wake Forest Dec 1-3, 2023.
While nothing matches being there, I wanted to share what I learned for those who missed it.
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Dr. Emily Ferree began her talk with a clear problem. Over the last decade, while we have seen a meteoric rise in access to biomechanics data, injuries are only growing.
So, as I took notes on her talk, I started with the following:
A lot of commonly reported data is focused on outputs (arm speed, shoulder and elbow torque, etc.), rather than inputs (stride length, humoral angle at stride foot contact, etc.)
People commonly rely on individual metrics without understanding the why.
I was prepared to write a post centered around too many analyses being singularly focused around a few (possibly wrong) KPIs, how that has resulted in sub optimal decision making, and how Emily’s holistic view provided a better way.
As I started down this path, I realized three things:
If I wanted to get this point across, the best thing would be to simply replay her 45 minute talk.
As a non-biomechanist, non-coach, that wasn’t my takeaway.
My takeaway was that if I was a front office executives- I’d make sure I had “a Dr. Ferree”.
I’d make sure I had someone who used tech as a force multiplier. Someone who understood what metrics told you and what they didn't. And someone who could turn what they knew into actionable plans.
The Woman In the Arena
In the three examples below, Emily dives deep into common issues she sees. If I extended these clips, you’d see tons of detail into how she attacks the problem, mostly by zooming out and viewing the entire pitching motion, rather than a single snapshot in time.
Example 1: Ground Reactions Forces
In the above video, Emily explains the flaw in analyzing the magnitude of ground reaction forces without accounting for direction. She explains that what really matters is 1) the direction of the ground reaction forces created and 2) how the pitcher transfers energy up the chain and eventually to the ball.
While one takeaway could be to simply replace the previous GRF measurable with a new one that accounts for direction, there are better lessons here.
For analysts and biomechanists, it is about dissecting the entire movement, especially when traditional numbers don’t add up (ex. high GRFs with lower than expected velocity).
And for front office executives, it is about empowering those who 1) understand holistic movement and 2) can transfer that knowledge.
Example 2: Arm Slot
Here, Emily breaks down her belief that there is no ideal arm slot, and therefore there is no ideal torso bend. Rather, Dr. Ferree states, “The only thing I care about is if his arm rotates on plane with his trunk.”
So, while she would tell you- and we’d agree- that measuring torso pitching hand alignment is a huge improvement over optimizing for a specific arm slot or torso bend, that is only half the battle.
What separates Dr. Ferree, or any great analyst, biomechanist, or coach, is their ability to move beyond the tech or the KPI.
The metric is just the beginning. The real value comes in diagnosing the issue (is it a form change, weight room change, etc.), and implementing a plan.
Example 3: Torque
In our final example, Dr. Ferree dives into torque as a KPI. In her explanation, she provides something metrics can’t: nuance.
In a large population, torque and injury risk are correlated. But at the individual level, there is too much unknown for this to be a cut and dry red flag.
In this case, a biomechanics evaluation is a great yellow flag, and an invitation to dig deeper. It is an invitation to talk with the athlete about how they are feeling. It is an invitation to measure strength. And it is an invitation to think critically about 1) if to intervene and 2) how to do so.
Numbers as a Tool For Thinking
“The numbers start out as tools for thinking. They wind up replacing thought.”
Time and time again, I fall back on the worrying line above as a warning sign when building Reboot Motion.
Reboot’s goal is to enable organizations to excel in biomechanics at scale. That means empowering Dr. Ferree and other great biomechanists and analysts. It means equipping coaches with reports that enable them to help their athletes. And it means overall better tooling to aid in idea generation and communication.
It never means replacing these people- but rather supercharging them to help their organizations innovate.
Numbers alone can’t give all the answers. They are tools for those in the arena- analysts building models, biomechanists developing reports, and coaches working directly with athletes.
But ultimately it is about the person in the arena- the innovator, the communicator, the educator- that drives organizations forward.