Validation of an IMU-Based Smart Suit for Running Kinematics and Pole Vault Take-Off Analysis

Running gait kinematics is considered of major importance in the sports community as a guideline for improving athletes' performance and prevent injuries. The limitations of the current analytical methods of running kinematics, related to high costs, lack of portability and often the need to use specialized laboratories, together with the development of new portable sensors adaptable to user needs and low-cost, have contributed to the development of innovative devices for the analysis of the parameters deemed of interest to the sports community. In particular, the use of inertial measurement units (IMUs) as a valid alternative to specialized systems is of growing interest. The purpose of this study was to validate a new wearable device, the Performer Running X10X, developed by L.I.F.E. Italia S.r.l, which integrates multiple IMUs for activity tracking and other sensors for monitoring physiological parameters as electrocardiogram and respiratory signals. The first aim was to evaluate running kinematics parameters as heel strike and toe-off time instants, trunk forward leaning, knee and hip angles. As a second objective, the study looked for a particular application of this innovative smart suit in the context of pole vault runway evaluating take-off parameters immediately preceding the jump phase. Maximal sprint runs were performed in four different running conditions on athletics track by an elite pole vault athlete, and the validation process was carried out by comparing the wearable device's inertial data with those obtained from video image analysis. The results proved the feasibility of using a sensorized garment as a valid support for coaching and training, providing the opportunity to collect automatic and reliable metrics in field without physical constraints or limitations as in traditional systems. The flexibility of the device could allow future algorithms implementation to reach the completeness of the analysis. In addition, the multi-parametric nature of the system opens the door as a technological support in Sport Medicine, rehabilitation and control of the stress condition.