1. Dart throwing by prosthesis users - unexpected advantages
Jenna Sabato, Jack DeVillez, Goeran Fiedler Asia-Singapore Conference on Sport Science, Singapore, 18th - 19th July 2019

2. Popularity of Darts
Sizable numbers of athletes play darts professionally
WDF Rankings
408 women
1,283 men
Darts competitions have huge prize money in championships
BDO World Darts Championship ……$473,000
World Masters …………………………$84,000
Dutch Open ……………………………$41,000
Dedicated fan following in much of the world

3. Background
According to the World Dart Federation, there are currently no rules or regulations pertaining specifically to this topic
Rules include the player’s attire and player conduct
Rules for disqualifications
Throwing kinematics have been studied
The Biomechanics of Throwing: Simplified and Cogent
Weber, et al. Sports Med Arthrosc Rev. 22.2 (2014):
Kinematic and Kinetic Profiles of Trunk and Lower Limbs during Baseball Pitching in Collegiate Pitchers
Kageyama, et al.  J Sports Sci & Med 13.4 (2014): 742.
Sequences of upper and lower extremity motions in javelin throwing
Liu, Leigh, and Yu. J. Sports Sci 28.13 (2010):
Lower Extremity Muscle Activation During Baseball Pitching
Campbell, Stodden, and Nixon. J Strength Cond Res  24.4 (2010):

4. Hypothesis
The weight and length of a lower limb prosthesis can provide a mechanical advantage in throwing darts

5. Protocol
Participants for this IRB approved study were recruited from the health local student and staff population.
Subjects were instructed to aim for the center of paper targets set up as modified dart board in accordance with official darts rules.
2D video recording from sagittal
Ten darts per condition
Three conditions in randomized sequence
Baseline
10 cm leg extension on trailing leg
4.5 kg cuff weight on trailing leg
Analyze throwing accuracy, forward lean

6. Results (n=13)
Accuracy not significantly different between conditions (p = 0.35).
weighted and the lengthened condition resulted in about 11% and 5% improvements, respectively
Up: Sample target with color coded hits for each condition and respective representation in the analysis program
Below: Average deviation of hits from the bulls-eye by subject (left) and overall (right)
10.29 cm
9.15 cm
9.77 cm 6

7. Results continued (n=7)
On average, participants were able to get 9.15cm closer to the target with the 6-inch extension on their trailing leg (p = 0.026).
Differences between baseline and weighted condition were likewise significant at the 0.05 level (p = 0.034)
No significant differences in elbow angle and lead leg angle

8. Conclusions
Use of a counterweight or an extension on the balance leg of a dart player allows the player to lean further over the throw line and closer to their target
While overall, group accuracy did no increase, some individuals saw improvement to their accuracy
Lack of accommodation time and heterogeneity of sample (darts expertise, throwing stance) posed limitations
Transferability of findings to amputee population not proven
However, a range of prosthesis weights and lengths is known to be tolerable
With so much at stake in major dart competitions, amputees could make simple adjustments to their prosthesis to gain an edge.

9. Dart throwing by prosthesis users - unexpected advantages
Jenna Sabato, Jack DeVillez, Goeran Fiedler Asia-Singapore Conference on Sport Science, Singapore, 18th - 19th July 2019