Wearable technology for objective running gait analysis

Abstract

Wearable technology is transforming the way running gait is analysed in real-world settings, offering opportunities for athletes and clinicians to monitor performance and rehabilitation outside traditional laboratories. This thesis evaluated the analytical validity, performance reliability, and usability of three wearable systems for running gait analysis: the research-grade Axivity AX6, the commercial ViMove2, and the novel DANU System. A mixed-methods approach was used across controlled lab environments and real-world running scenarios, applying the V3 and V3+ validation frameworks.

Analytical validation revealed that the Ax6 showed excellent agreement with gold-standard systems (e.g., ICC(2,1) > 0.90 for ground contact time), outperforming ViMove2 and DANU. In real-world 5km runs, DANU and Ax6 demonstrated opposing trends in GCT adaptation to elevation; DANU exhibited significant reductions in GCT from lap 1 to 3 (−6.95%, p < 0.01), while Ax6 showed modest increases (+3.60%, p = 0.133). Elevation explained a small but significant proportion of variation in ST (R² = 0.0308, p < 0.05). Usability testing (n = 50) revealed a mean System Usability Scale score of 67.1 ± 13.8. Higher age-graded performance correlated with better usability ratings (β = 0.40, p = 0.012), although challenges such as sock fit, heat retention, and data interpretation limited wider acceptance.

Qualitative feedback underscored the DANU System’s potential for injury rehabilitation and performance tracking but highlighted the need for more breathable materials, simplified data visualisation, and app stability. These findings support the feasibility of wearable systems for running gait assessment but also point to critical considerations for usability and standardisation. The thesis concludes that while wearables hold promise for objective gait monitoring, their success hinges on context-specific application, user-centred design, and robust validation practices.

Date of Award	22 May 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Northumbria University
Supervisor	Gill Barry (Supervisor) & Alan Godfrey (Supervisor)