A wearable IMU-based method for measuring biomechanical parameters in hammer throwing

Area of Science:

• Sports Biomechanics
• Athletic Performance Analysis
• Wearable Sensor Technology

Background:

• Hammer throw technique analysis traditionally relies on complex and expensive systems.
• There is a need for accessible and cost-effective tools for athletes and coaches to evaluate throwing technique.
• Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) offer a potential solution for capturing motion data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a low-cost system for analyzing hammer throw technique using IMUs.
• To derive key biomechanical parameters indicative of throwing technique quality.
• To assess the reliability of IMU-based measurements compared to motion capture systems.

Main Methods:

• Five national-level hammer throwers participated in the study.
• IMUs were placed on the athlete's instep, lumbar zone, and wrist.
• Raw IMU data were processed using Matlab to derive biomechanical parameters and phase durations.

Main Results:

• Algorithms were developed to determine single and double support phase durations.
• Key biomechanical parameters such as wrist angular velocity and pelvic tilt were derived.
• Excellent agreement was found between IMU data and VICON motion capture for phase durations (ICC = 0.977) and angular displacements (ICC = 0.976).

Conclusions:

• An IMU-based system provides a reliable and low-cost method for hammer throw analysis.
• This technology can be integrated into regular training sessions without specialized facilities.
• Coaches and athletes can benefit from this accessible tool for technique improvement.