The development of an imaging informatics-based platform and data viewer interface to support sports performance and injury prevention in track and field athletes

Research in the area of sports science and performance enhancement revolves around collecting multimedia data (eg, Video, images, and waveforms), processing them, and quantifying the results, which gives insight to help athletes improve their technique. For example, in long jump in track and field, the processed output of video with force vector overlays and force calculations allow coaches to view specific stages of the hop, step, and jump, and identify how each stage can be improved to increase jump distance. Outputs also provide insight into how athletes can better maneuver to prevent injury. Currently, each data collection site collects and stores data with their own methods without a standard. Different research groups store multimedia files and quantified results in different kinds of formats, structures, and locations. Imaging informatics-based principles were adopted to develop a platform for multiple institutions that promotes the standardization of sports performance data. The system will provide user authentication and privacy as in clinical trials, with specific user access rights. Data collected from different field sites will be standardized into specified formats before database storage similar to field sites in clinical imaging-based trials. Quantified results from image-processing algorithms are stored similar to CAD algorithm results. The system will streamline the current sports performance data workflow and provide a user interface for different users including researchers, athletes, coaches to view results of individual collections and longitudinally across different collections. The developed data viewer will allow for easy access and review of data to improve sports performance and prevent injury.