The newest technology during the oldest marathon in the Netherlands

Six hundred thousand running injuries occur in the Netherlands annually. Is this because of their running techniques? Roessingh Research and Development is collaborating with Sensorun, TRIMM and Xsens, and they are developing a feedback system that allows runners to receive real-time information about their running technique, in order to improve their performances and prevent injuries.

Ten runners will be equipped with eight motion sensors during this edition of the Enschede Marathon. These sensors will accurately map their running techniques from start to finish. These measurements have already been done on a smaller scale during the half marathon, where a cyclist had to follow the runner to receive and save the data. Data will now be collected from runners that participate in the full marathon, and it will be stored on-body and read later. 

The step towards the full marathon was taken this year, and the researchers are expecting major changes. They expect that ever-increasing fatigue will have an impact on the running technique. The researchers hope to obtain information from the collected data, that will provide insight into the causes of overstraining and the risk of injuries. It became clear in a previous movement analysis, in which two runners underwent a “ten-minute fatigue protocol” on the UTrack athletics track, that the runners were getting fatigued and that their running technique changed, causing them to run slower and slower. 

The data from the upcoming marathon will be used for the further development of the Runner Assist. Those who attended last Friday’s (April 12) “Get Ready” congress saw the concept in real life. It is based on a system that gives real-time feedback on the running technique based on three sensors. Upcoming injuries can be detected early with the help of these sensors, smart algorithms and a portal!