Sports Ergonomics

Sport through the ages has continued to strive and develop and is now a more significant part of our lives than it has ever been before. A recent development has been increasing demand for the application of ergonomics to the areas of sport, leisure and recreation. This reflects the huge public interest in these areas, the significant increase in commercial interest, and the advancement of elite sport.  London hosting the 2012 Olympic Games has only served to heighten interest in this area.

There has been research and development in sport for a long time which can be seen in the technological advances made in equipment, training procedures, etc. Only recently has it started to involve ergonomics capabilities as a unique discipline.

These developments are not only for people involved in sport to enable them to perform and assess themselves in an easier and more efficient manner, but also from the viewer's perspective to help them better understand the sport they are watching - in many ways a more inclusive approach. This contributes to the viewer's feeling that they are involved in the game and as if they are there alongside the actual sports people. For example, in tennis there is the hawk eye, in golf there are flyover views, and in many sports there is now interactive television.

On the back of all these advances, this sports ergonomics special interest group (SIG) has been set up to offer a forum for people to share knowledge and discuss opportunities, or to obtain answers and meet new people. If you are interested in any of the above or have an opinion on this, then please get in contact with the organiser Steven Bayer.