MEDICAL ASPECTS OF LOW-TEMPERATURE ICE SUFACES CREATION FOR WINTER SPORTS BASED ON MOLECULAR INFLUENCE ON PHYSICAL-MECHANICAL PROPERTIES

摘要

Numerous falls are inevitable in course of training and competitions and represent a general negative aspect of all ice sports. According to the International Skating Union (ISU), in speed skating and short track, nearly 97% of falls occur when sportsmen pass bends and in figure skating -while landing after jumps. In both cases a major reason of this effect is ice destruction and cleavages that don't allow the sportsmen to remain on the skates. Accumulated falls have such grave consequences as bruises, scoliotic arcs, injuries of meniscus and knee joint ligaments, chronic pain syndrome. The present paper deals with research studies and realization of a new principle of ice properties adjustment that is purposeful molecular influence on its' crystalline structure. A considerable improvement of sliding and characteristics as well as an increase in ice force can be achieved by means of introduction of micro doses of high polymeric compounds which create after the crystallization a space lattice with characteristic dimensions subject to configuration, size and concentration of macro molecules. A special attention is devoted to a purposeful industrial synthesis of the compounds that have the most efficient influence on the mentioned ice properties. In order to test physical-mechanical properties of ice we created special tools imitating the sliding of a sportsman. Experimental investigations confirm that a considerable improvement of macro parameters of ice can be achieved owing to the introduction of compounds that have a structure similar to the substances serving as intraarticular lubrication and additional softener in living organisms. During the researches we elaborated physical models of ice structure and of surface layer for different types of interaction between the ice surface and a skate blade. We have detected criteria of selection of compounds introduced in ice, an optimal range of concentrations and the depth of modified layers penetration into the ice mass. We have elaborated an analytic model in order to evaluate the current parameters of each compound introduced into the surface layer as well as software based on this model. The present report outlines the results of our technology's testing in terms of medical and sports statistics during the training process and official competitions: Speed Skating World Cups and Figure Skating Grand-Prix.