Dataset of biomechanical effects of the addition of a precision constraint on a collective load carriage task

Team lifting is a complex and collective motor task that possesses both
motor and cognitive components. We study the collective load carriage
adaptation due to an additional accuracy constraint. Ten dyads performed a
first condition in which they collectively transported a load (CC), and a
second one in which they transported the same load while maintaining a
ball in a target position on its top (PC). The recovery-rate, amplitude,
and period of the center-of-mass of the whole system (dyad + table,
CoMPACS) were computed. We analyzed the forces and moments exerted at each
joint of the upper limbs of the subjects. We observed a decrease in the
overall performance of the dyads when the Precision task was added, i.e.,
i) the velocity and amplitude of CoMPACS decreased by 1,7% and 5,8%,
respectively, ii) inter-subject variability of the Moment-Cost-Function
decreased by 95% and recovery rate decreased by 19,2% during PC. A kinetic
synergy analysis showed that the subjects reorganized their coordinations
in the PC. Our results demonstrate that adding a precision task affects
the economy of collective load carriage. Notwithstanding, the joint
moments at the upper-limbs are better balanced and co-vary more across the
paired subjects during the precision task.