Quantification of Agility Testing with Inertial Sensors after a Knee Injury

Sensor-based technologies for motion analysis in sports injuries: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Insightful motion analysis provides valuable information for athlete health, a crucial aspect of sports medicine. This systematic review presents an analytical overview of the use of various sensors in motion analysis for sports injury assessment.

METHODS

A comprehensive search of PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science was conducted in February 2024 using search terms related to "sport", "athlete", "sensor-based technology", "motion analysis", and "injury." Studies were included based on PCC (Participants, Concept, Context) criteria. Key data, including sensor types, motion data processing methods, injury and sport types, and application areas, were extracted and analyzed.

RESULTS

Forty-two studies met the inclusion criteria. Inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors were the most commonly used for motion data collection. Sensor fusion techniques have gained traction, particularly for rehabilitation assessment. Knee injuries and joint sprains were the most frequently studied injuries, with statistical methods being the predominant approach to data analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

This review comprehensively explains sensor-based techniques in sports injury motion analysis. Significant research gaps, including the integration of advanced processing techniques, real-world applicability, and the inclusion of underrepresented domains such as adaptive sports, highlight opportunities for innovation. Bridging these gaps can drive the development of more effective, accessible, and personalized solutions in sports health.

In-field assessment of change-of-direction ability with a single wearable sensor

The Agility T-test is a standardized method to measure the change-of-direction (COD) ability of athletes in the field. It is traditionally scored based on the total completion time, which does not provide information on the different CODs. Augmenting the T-test with wearable sensors provides the opportunity to explore new metrics. Towards this, data of 23 professional soccer players were recorded with a trunk-worn GNSS-IMU (Global Navigation Satellite System-Inertial Measurement Unit) device. A method for detecting the four CODs based on the wavelet-denoised antero-posterior acceleration signal was developed and validated using video data (60 Hz). Following this, completion time was estimated using GNSS ground speed and validated with the photocell data. The proposed method yields an error (mean ± standard deviation) of 0 ± 66 ms for the COD detection, - 0.16 ± 0.22 s for completion time, and a relative error for each COD duration and each sequential movement durations of less than 3.5 ± 16% and 7 ± 7%, respectively. The presented algorithm can highlight the asymmetric performance between the phases and CODs in the right and left direction. By providing a more comprehensive analysis in the field, this work can enable coaches to develop more personalized training and rehabilitation programs.

The use of wearable technology as an assessment tool to identify between-limb differences during functional tasks following ACL reconstruction. A scoping review

OBJECTIVE

To report how wearable sensors have been used to identify between-limb deficits during functional tasks following ACL reconstruction and critically examine the methods used.

METHODS

We performed a scoping review of studies including participants with ACL reconstruction as the primary surgical procedure, who were assessed using wearable sensors during functional movement tasks (e.g., balance, walking or running, jumping and landing) at all postsurgical time frames.

RESULTS

Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. The majority examined jumping-landing tasks and reported kinematic and kinetic differences between limbs (involved vs. unninvolved) and groups (injured vs. controls). Excellent reliability and moderate-strong agreement with laboratory protocols was indicated, with IMU sensors providing an accurate estimation of kinetics, but the number of studies and range of tasks used were limited. Methodological differences were present including, sensor placement, sampling rate, time post-surgery and type of assessment which appear to affect the outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Wearable sensors consistently identified between-limb and group deficits following ACL reconstruction. Preliminary evidence suggests these technologies could be used to monitor knee function during rehabilitation, but further research is needed including, validation against criterion measures. Practitioners should also consider how the methods used can affect the accuracy of the outcome.

The Use of Wearable Sensors for Preventing, Assessing, and Informing Recovery from Sport-Related Musculoskeletal Injuries: A Systematic Scoping Review

Wearable technologies are often indicated as tools that can enable the in-field collection of quantitative biomechanical data, unobtrusively, for extended periods of time, and with few spatial limitations. Despite many claims about their potential for impact in the area of injury prevention and management, there seems to be little attention to grounding this potential in biomechanical research linking quantities from wearables to musculoskeletal injuries, and to assessing the readiness of these biomechanical approaches for being implemented in real practice. We performed a systematic scoping review to characterise and critically analyse the state of the art of research using wearable technologies to study musculoskeletal injuries in sport from a biomechanical perspective. A total of 4952 articles were retrieved from the Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed databases; 165 were included. Multiple study features-such as research design, scope, experimental settings, and applied context-were summarised and assessed. We also proposed an injury-research readiness classification tool to gauge the maturity of biomechanical approaches using wearables. Five main conclusions emerged from this review, which we used as a springboard to propose guidelines and good practices for future research and dissemination in the field.

A Meta-Analysis of Systemic Evaluation of Knee Ligament Injury or Intervention of Knee Proprioceptive Function Recovery

OBJECTIVE

The knee ligaments, as a passive knee joint stability device, provide protection for the knee joint and ensure its functional integrity. This role has long been known and recognized by people. The original purpose of knee ligament reconstruction after knee ligament injury is to restore its anatomical structure and mechanical stability mechanism.

METHODS

Taking athletes as the research object, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on improving ankle joint function of athletes related to proprioception training at home and abroad were included. The search time was from the establishment of the database to December 31, 2019, and the references of related documents were traced. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted data, and evaluated the quality of the literature. RevMan 5.3 software was used for data analysis.

RESULTS

The extensor strength, flexor strength, and flexor strength/extensor strength of the affected limb were higher than before the operation one year after surgery (P < 0.01). The Lysholm score, Lysholm instability score, and one-foot jump distance were all higher than those before surgery (P < 0.05); the difference of KT-2000 for both knees was smaller than that before surgery (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

In maintaining the anterior stability of the knee joint, the knee ligament provides 85% static resistance to prevent the tibia from moving forward, so knee ligament injury will cause knee instability. The proprioceptive feedback mechanism plays an important role in maintaining the functional stability of joints.