IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/taf/rpanxx/v20y2020i5p782-799.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Understanding handling performance of rugby balls under wet conditions: analysis of finger-ball friction

Author

Listed:
  • Jiaojiao Liu
  • Qian Zhang
  • Xiaoxiao Liu

Abstract

This paper presents work with the aim of investigating the effect of moisture on the skin frictional behaviour of human finger-pads in contact with rugby balls. During sports activities, human body experiences high volumes of thermoregulatory sweating as a result of achieving body’s temperature balance. Consequently, sweating alters human skin properties and contact conditions between hand skin and sports equipment, and may adversely affect exercise/sports performance. In this work, a rugby ball passing test under wet conditions was conducted to examine the influence of skin hydration on rugby ball handling performance. Then, a comprehensive study was carried out to assess skin structures, frictional properties and contact areas of the interface between human finger-pads and flat surfaces at different moist conditions. It was found that the handling performance of rugby balls is strongly associated with the skin moisture level. The experimental results of the skin friction study showed that the skin friction coefficient changes with hydration time following a “bell-shape” curve. It also showed that the corresponding thickness of the stratum corneum of the examined fingers increased due to the transmission of water in skin tissues. This leads to an increase in the contact area and friction force with hydration time.

Suggested Citation

  • Jiaojiao Liu & Qian Zhang & Xiaoxiao Liu, 2020. "Understanding handling performance of rugby balls under wet conditions: analysis of finger-ball friction," International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(5), pages 782-799, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:rpanxx:v:20:y:2020:i:5:p:782-799
    DOI: 10.1080/24748668.2020.1786299
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/24748668.2020.1786299
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1080/24748668.2020.1786299?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:taf:rpanxx:v:20:y:2020:i:5:p:782-799. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Longhurst (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.tandfonline.com/RPAN20 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.