Physical Therapy's Somma, Lawrence author study on benefits of wearable running technology

Two faculty in the University of New England Department of Physical Therapy recently published a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research demonstrating the effectiveness of popular wearable technologies to evaluate running performance. 

Matthew Somma, PT, D.P.T., associate clinical professor of physical therapy at UNE, and Michael Lawrence, M.S., assistant director of the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree program, are co-authors of the study "Reliability and Accuracy of Stryd to Detect Changes in Vertical Displacement of the Center of Mass While Running," which evaluates the efficiency of the wearable, foot-mounted Stryd device for analyzing important running mechanics.

Specifically, Somma and Lawrence looked at Stryd’s ability to reliably and accurately detect changes in vertical displacement of the center of mass (VCoM), which helps assess running efficiency and identify movement patterns that could lead to overuse injuries.

The study included 20 recreational runners who ran on a treadmill wearing a Stryd device on each foot. Runners first ran at self-selected speeds, maintained throughout the data collection period, and had their own cadence to start. Cadence was then adjusted by having participants run to the beat of a metronome with 5% and 10% increases during the trial.  

The researchers compared data collected by Stryd with results from a high-tech 3D motion capture system in UNE’s Motion Analysis Lab. This system served as the standard for measuring vertical displacement, allowing the team to evaluate the accuracy of Stryd’s data.

The results showed that Stryd devices had near-perfect reliability between limbs and accurately tracked cadence when compared to gold-standard motion capture systems. While Stryd consistently underestimated VCoM, researchers said the study confirmed that the device could detect changes in VCoM caused by cadence adjustments. Researchers also developed a linear regression equation to correct the underestimation.

While the device shows promise as an easy-to-use tool for runners, coaches, and clinicians, the researchers emphasized the importance of further studies to better understand the capabilities and limits of wearable technologies, including Stryd.