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Motion Capture Technologies for Athletic Performance Enhancement and Injury Risk Assessment: A Review for Multi-Sport
Bahman Adlou1, Christopher Wilburn1, Wendi Weimar1
1Sport Biomechanics Lab, School of Kinesiology, Auburn University, 301 Wire Rd, Auburn, AL 36830, USA.
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
|July 30, 2025
Summary
Selecting motion capture (MoCap) technology for sports requires careful consideration of system accuracy and environmental factors. This review offers a tiered framework to guide athletic departments in choosing the best MoCap systems for their needs.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Biomechanics
- Technology in Athletics
Background:
- Motion capture (MoCap) technologies are crucial for athlete monitoring.
- Athletic departments face challenges in selecting appropriate MoCap systems for diverse sports.
- Technological advancements necessitate a review of current MoCap systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and evaluate the accuracy of various motion capture systems.
- To assess the performance of different MoCap technologies across various environments.
- To provide a framework for selecting MoCap systems in athletic departments.
Main Methods:
- Narrative review of peer-reviewed studies from 2015-2025.
- Evaluation of optical marker-based, inertial measurement unit (IMU), and markerless computer vision systems.
- Analysis of validated accuracy metrics in indoor, aquatic, and outdoor settings.
Main Results:
- Optical systems offer high accuracy in controlled settings but have field limitations.
- Inertial measurement unit (IMU) systems show 2-8° angular accuracy; markerless systems exhibit variable accuracy (sagittal: 3-15°, transverse: 3-57°).
- Environmental factors significantly affect performance, with aquatic settings adding orientation error and outdoor environments challenging Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) tracking.
Conclusions:
- A tiered implementation framework is proposed, balancing foundational monitoring with specialized tools.
- Selection should align with organizational priorities, sport-specific needs, and resource constraints.
- Gaps in gender-specific validation and long-term reliability data require further research.
