aceArtificial Intelligence in Sports Biomechanics: A Scoping Review on Wearable Technology, Motion Analysis, and Injury Prevention
This scoping review examines the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in sports biomechanics, with a focus on enhancing performance and preventing injuries. The review addresses key research questions, including primary AI methods, their effectiveness in improving athletic performance, their potential for injury prediction, sport-specific applications, strategies for translating knowledge, ethical considerations, and remaining research gaps. Following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a comprehensive literature…
CSIRO ScienceImage 7664 The wearable bodymapping sleeve by Nick Pitsas, CSIRO. CC BY 3.0 · https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
By August 2025, a scoping review of 73 studies published between 2015 and 2024 examined AI in sports biomechanics, focusing on wearable technology, motion analysis, and injury prevention. It reported that convolutional neural networks reached 94% agreement with experts, computer vision was within 15 mm of marker-based systems, and integrated AI systems were associated with a 23% reduction in reinjury rates.
The results matter because they suggest AI can surpass traditional biomechanical analysis for performance enhancement and injury prevention in competitive sports. Uncertainty remains due to reliance on moderate-quality and limited evidence from small study subsets, lack of standardized data, limited model interpretability, and incomplete real-world validation and coaching integration.
- Review of 73 studies from 3248 screened across five databases from January 2015 to December 2024 found shift from traditional statistical models to advanced machine learning
- Computer vision demonstrated accuracy within 15 mm compared to marker-based systems in 6 studies
- Learning management systems raised coaches' understanding by 45% and athlete adherence by 3.4 times
Integrated AI systems in sports biomechanics reduced reinjury rates by 23% and enabled technique assessment and injury prediction with high accuracy.
The rundown
The review followed PRISMA-ScR guidelines and searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, IEEE Xplore, Scopus, and SPORTDiscus for studies between January 2015 and December 2024. After screening 3248 articles, 73 met inclusion criteria with Cohen's kappa = 0.84. Data were collected on AI techniques, biomechanical parameters, performance metrics, and implementation details.
Findings included computer vision within 15 mm of marker-based systems, AI-driven training plans showing 25% accuracy improvements, and learning management systems improving knowledge transfer. The authors noted future work should focus on explainable AI, rigorous validation, ethical data handling, and equitable access across competitive levels.
Sources
- Peer-reviewedBioengineering2025-08-20
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