Wearable inertial sensors: powerful tools for sports science, but not without limitations and challenges

Wearable inertial sensors enable the measurement of human movement in non-laboratory environments. Because many sports movements cannot be accurately replicated inside a laboratory, inertial sensors (also known as inertial measurement units or IMUs) are one of the best tools for quantifying some of the most dynamic and interesting motions that humans are capable of producing. However, there are numerous limitations and challenges that must be addressed when making use of the data from IMUs; measurements from an IMU are very different from both traditional biomechanics measurements and the visual measurements and cues used by experienced coaches and skilled observers. I describe the limitations and challenges that must be addressed when using IMUs and present a framework for overcoming the disadvantages of IMUs while leveraging their advantages for field-based data collections.