DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF AN ALGORITHM FOR FOOT CONTACT DETECTION IN HIGH-DYNAMIC MOVEMENTS USING INERTIAL MEASUREMENT UNITS

Authors

Margherita Mendicino, Rizzoli Orthopedic InstituteFollow
Stefano Di Paolo, Rizzoli Orthopedic InstituteFollow
José Miguel Dos Santos, University of PortoFollow
Eline M. Nijmeijer, University of GroningenFollow
Pieter Heuvelmans, Paderborn UniversityFollow
Francesco Della Villa, Isokinetic Medical GroupFollow
Alli GokelerFollow
Anne Benjaminse, University of GroningenFollow
Stefano Zaffagnini, Rizzoli Orthopedic InstituteFollow

Category

Wearable Technology

Document Type

Paper

Abstract

Wearable IMUs offer a promising alternative to lab-based motion capture for sports biomechanics. Accurate foot contact detection (FCD) is crucial, yet most algorithms are validated for daily activities, leaving a gap in high-dynamic movements, such as sprints and changes of direction, which are linked to injury risk. This study (I) reviews FCD algorithms for such tasks and (II) develops a new IMU-based algorithm for detecting initial contact (IC) and toe-off (TO). The review highlighted limitations in sport-specific FCD solutions. Two algorithms using Pelvis Vertical Velocity (PVV) and Resultant Foot Acceleration (RFA) were tested on 302 trials. A hybrid approach combining the two, improved accuracy, achieving 5.6ms and 20.4ms median offsets for IC and TO detection respectively. The final algorithm, validated against force plates, offers a valid method for real-world sports applications.

Recommended Citation

Mendicino, Margherita; Di Paolo, Stefano; Dos Santos, José Miguel; Nijmeijer, Eline M.; Heuvelmans, Pieter; Della Villa, Francesco; Gokeler, Alli; Benjaminse, Anne; and Zaffagnini, Stefano (2025) "DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF AN ALGORITHM FOR FOOT CONTACT DETECTION IN HIGH-DYNAMIC MOVEMENTS USING INERTIAL MEASUREMENT UNITS," ISBS Proceedings Archive: Vol. 43: Iss. 1, Article 57.
Available at: https://commons.nmu.edu/isbs/vol43/iss1/57