From tracking heart rate to predicting injury risks, AI is not just changing the way athletes perform—it’s transforming the very fabric of sports science.
As we enter a new era of data-driven performance, Dr Paul Grimshaw, an Associate Professor at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), said: “AI has and will continue to revolutionize how we measure and enhance athlete performance, and wearable technology is at the forefront of this transformation.”
Equipped with sensors and AI, wearable devices track key metrics like heart rate, movement, and recovery in real time. As these devices become more advanced, they are seamlessly integrated with AI systems to offer personalized feedback, making them an indispensable tool for both individual athletes and entire teams.
“The wearables are getting better, smaller, more powerful, and more accurate, as they are combined with artificial intelligence, which is also getting better by the day,” said Dr Grimshaw, an expert in sports performance and technology.
For example, wearables for runners have come a long way in recent years. Not long ago, they simply tracked steps and distance. Now, they capture sophisticated metrics like cadence, step length, and foot strike. By analyzing this data in real-time, these devices can detect patterns, offer immediate feedback, and provide actionable insights that help prevent injuries.
Dr Grimshaw said: “As you progress in sports, the margins between success and failure become slimmer and slimmer – every tenth of a second counts – and that’s where AI is making the most impact.
“With it, we are reaching unprecedented levels of precision. Athletes can fine-tune their technique, enhance their performance, and push their limits like never before.”
Additionally, the real-time data from wearables doesn’t just enhance performance, it also plays a crucial role in protecting athletes from injuries.
“It analyzes biometric and biomechanical data and detects anomalies – things like the force being exerted by a particular movement can lead to injury or fatigue after a specific period of time,” says Dr Grimshaw. “This tells the athlete to either adjust their technique or schedule rest time. It can also predict optimal recovery strategies and provide personalized rehabilitation plans.”
But how accurate are wearables?
“While wearables have come a long way, a certain degree of error will always be present,” Dr Grimshaw explained. “Users need to be particularly careful when using them to diagnose issues like fatigue or injury prevention.”
And he stresses the importance of not over-relying on technology. “Wearables should complement, not replace, a well-rounded injury prevention strategy. Evaluations by sports medicine professionals and proper training methods remain crucial for an athlete’s health and performance.”
He explained that the accuracy of data collected by wearables can vary depending on the device and its placement, making it crucial to choose reputable brands and ensure proper placement for reliable data.
One of the early challenges faced by coaches and athletes with wearables and AI was the overwhelming amount of data they had to sift through. “While data is valuable, it only works if it can be understood and applied,” says Dr Grimshaw.
“Athletes and coaches don’t have the time to process thousands of data sets, which is where machine learning comes in.”
Machine learning, a form of AI, analyzes patterns in data and improves its predictions over time. In sports, this means it can help detect early signs of fatigue or predict an athlete’s performance trends.
“It takes all the raw data, analyzes it, and, most importantly, presents it in a simple, actionable format that’s easy to understand and use. This is invaluable – this is what makes real-time feedback possible,” said Dr Grimshaw.
So, going beyond individual athletes, how does AI impact team performance?
According to Dr Grimshaw: “It analyzes data from multiple players simultaneously and identifies team dynamics, strengths and weaknesses. It allows coaches to devise strategies that maximize team performance and coordination.
“We already see this very widely in sports like football. The vests that players wear under their jerseys carry trackers.”
Dr. Grimshaw explained that the trackers allow coaches and staff to see every movement, such as which players are covering more ground, number of strikes, and number of kicks.
“Once the data indicates a player will go into fatigue if he continues to play, he gets substituted. This doesn’t just ensure everybody on the field is playing their best but also prevents injuries as players are taken off before they fatigue and get injured.”
As with any technological advancement, there are challenges to using AI in sports, and high on the list is data privacy and security. “The collection and storage of athlete data raises important privacy concerns,” says Dr. Grimshaw. “Strong safeguards and ethical regulations are essential to protect sensitive information, yet such regulations are not fully developed today. There is an urgent need for a unified set of regulations.”
Another significant challenge is cost and accessibility. “AI technology can be expensive, and not all athletes or teams have equal access to these cutting-edge tools,” said Dr. Grimshaw.
“To promote widespread adoption, it’s crucial to ensure that AI solutions are both affordable and accessible to all levels of sport.”
