Can Smartphones Help with Running Technique?

AbstractRunning is one of the most popular sports for the masses. However, not every runner might run properly. Incorrect running technique decreases movement efficiency and increases the risk of injury. In this work, we present the development of a smartphone application to provide feedback on running technique on the example of arm carriage. Recognition algorithms were developed in a preliminary study with 10 participants. Investigating sensor positions and modalities, we found that a single IMU on the upper arm yielded an accuracy of 80.73% for the assessment of arm movement. We implemented our approach as a smartphone application and found that runners improved their arm movement using our application within a user study including 23 participants. Results from questionnaires revealed high user acceptance (average rating of 8 from 10 possible points)