Figure skating science

By Amanda Delosh
For some figure skating is a way of life with hopes of fulfilling dreams of winning Olympic gold. For others it’s a form of art on ice they can watch and wonder how these jumps and spins can be done. It is not without desire, want, and persistence that figure skating would be what it is today.
Children who live in the North Country tend to be put in skates when they are able to walk, whether they are hockey skates or figure skates. As they progress with each sport injuries may be involved. These injuries can sometimes be minor or major ones. Those triple axels, spirals and spins do not come without consequences. Artistry in skating has taken a back seat to these gasping jumps unfortunately, leaving these young figure skaters fit for injury.
Like gymnastics girls peak at a young age in figure skating. It is a lot easier to throw your body into the air when you weigh 90 pounds and are only five feet tall, compared to someone of 130 pounds and is 5’6. The older you get the harder everything is. The girls on top of the podium winning gold medals at world championships are 12-15 years old; you very rarely see someone who is 30 years old.
Now, if there were a way to solve these injuries, and perfect certain jumps, would it be a good idea to bring forward and use? Today scientists are teaming up to try and accomplish this by a computer and motion sensors attached to a skater’s body. The questions are, how does this work, and will it really help a figure skaters ability to polish their jumps with less injury to their health?
This computer may help skaters but some skeptics say it will take away from the art of figure skating. However, being able to know precise movements that will help their many different moves may change the life of figure skating. This computer, according to the New York Times, “allows researchers to mimic skaters' positions during jumps and calibrate the effect of altering angles of the head, torso, arm and leg.” Imagine struggling for so long to complete one of the most rigorous jumps, and you keep falling after each attempt. Then, with the simplicity of a computer, your frustrations have been solved.
“I think that if they did use that technology it would take away the artistry of skating and the experience skaters get when they accomplish difficult things,” says Samantha DeLosh, an 18-year-old figure skater who has been skating since she was six. She has been a part of one of the best known synchronized skating teams on the Eastern Coast of the United States, The Ice Illusions. This team has skated on to many undefeated years, capturing the all around gold medal in the Eastern Synchronized Skating Championships twice.
“It would come down to, I need to start turning at this moment because science told me to do it. It’s turning into a science equation, and it’s taking away the freedom of skating,” she says. Even though she may seem like she is not for the computer she does say, “I don’t think that people should depend on it, but I think it may be something interesting to try.” She continues saying, “I think they could hold clinics for it, but I don’t think it should become a part of the training.”
But according to recent statistics from the United States Figure Skating Association, the two most common injuries are with the lower back and knee-roughly being 34% and 26%. This statistic is just two of many injuries.
DeLosh says, “Well, for the health of the skater it would be beneficial but not for the health of the sport.” She explains, “I just, I mean yeah it’d be nice, but I think if it started getting too involved and too dominate of skating and the coaching process it will just turn into a science. I think they are creating a figure skater at a scientific stand point where as not from a physical standpoint.”
For so long skating has been something either you are born to do or simply you are not at all made for. “I think it would take away from those who can’t afford it; it would add to if you can’t afford this then what are you supposed to do?” says DeLosh. “It would divide more skaters if you can’t afford the technology, you will fall behind and it would take away from the talent of skating.” Talent is the key to figure skating. Could this new technology be an easy way out to a sport that we all once knew was either pure luck or talent? “Because of this technology they may get ahead of you even if they aren’t as talented,” says DeLosh.
However with the science of skating changing, the judging system is as well. The International Judging System decided to give skaters more challenge during competitions. A couple years ago skaters were able to complete all required jumps within the first minute of their program. Now, they are to continue these powerful jumps throughout their routines. The New York Times says, “Each skill in a performance now receives specific points, requiring more focus. And skaters no longer have an incentive to perform all jumps early in a program before they tire-now, jumps done later earn extra points.”
With this, skaters train harder and a lot more to acquire the physical strength to accomplish this difficult and tiring task. Many skaters by the time they are 10 years old develop bone fractures, muscle complications, torn ligaments, and sometimes injuries that require surgery. A main one discussed earlier is knee injuries. When doing specific jumps, a landing is involved. This landing will take a strain on just one leg. Think about picking off the ice and you’re up in the air only to come back down on just one leg. Skaters tend to replay jumps over and over until they get it right. This is what causes those knee injuries due to the shock absorption occurring when landing.
Another injury in the statistic is lower back or tailbone fractures. These are definitely not a highlight of figure skating. A simple slip or wrong edge can send someone falling on the ice and of course when you fall the most commonplace would be your bottom. Wrist injuries also occur because when falling people have a tendency to put their arms out causing impact on the wrist and elbow. Another common one many skaters will have to deal with all their lives are hip injuries. This injury may not come into effect until they are older, like for example Olympic Gold medalist at the age of 14; Tara Lipinski under went hip surgery when she was 18 years old. The constant landing on one leg puts major impact and causes absorption into that whole side of the body.
These injuries may make some not want to attempt this sport; however, just like any other sport training is required. This training will help with injury if skaters know the proper way to execute jumps. “The accelerometer study is part of a flowering of research on safety and performance,” says the New York Times. They continue saying, “A year-round pursuit for competitive skaters, emphasizes athleticism and endurance more than ever before.” All skaters may not favor this computer, but for those prone to injury it may come in handy.
The research being conducted at this time could lead to new training regiments. These include, “off-ice conditioning and also limiting repetitions of jumps during a practice,” says the New York Times. These researchers look at skating as a whole meaning the physics, exercise, conditioning, and everything that comes with it. Hopefully with the knowledge they gain skating will become safer for young girls and boys, while injury will be less prone to happening.
As for an experienced skater like DeLosh, this computer sensor may be helpful she thinks, but at the same time may be taking away the artistry of skating, and the pure talent this sport is all about. “Obviously it would be good to look into if you are getting injured, then you should go look into it,” says DeLosh. However, she continues saying, “If you’re a perfectly fine skater you shouldn’t be using this to base your skating off of, use it as a rehabilitation I don’t think it should be used frequently.”
DeLosh says, “Figure skating has been around for so long, why change it now when it’s about the raw talent of practice and putting your all into something, don’t let a computer start telling you what to do.”