New technology could help DHS runners

By Abbey Fisk,
Bluedevilhub.com Staff–

Sensoria, a Washington-based company that makes smart apparel, has invented a new running sock that can keep track of activity, detect foot landing patterns and measure heart rate and landing forces.

On Oct. 1 Sensoria released the new socks, which will help runners everywhere identify mechanical abnormalities in their gait and help prevent future injuries.

A popular opinion among high school runners is that “it could help if wasn’t so expensive,” according to junior Adria Lammers.  The price of the sock is $149, but it is expected to increase to $199 at the end of October.

The socks could help runners “see what they need to work on in terms of mechanics,” Lammers said. The Sensoria socks could help cross-country athletes prevent injuries by identifying mechanical mistakes they are making so they can improve their running patterns.

This technology could be especially helpful to the Davis High cross-country team, which has nearly 150 athletes.

“Since the team is so large, the coaches cannot focus on everyone all the time,” sophomore Sofia Castiglioni said.

Sophomore Aaron Bushnell thinks Sensoria could specifically help new runners, because they “do not realize they are making mistakes.”

Coaches, however, are skeptical about the product.

According to head track and field coach Spencer Elliott, the socks are a “poor investment.”

“It doesn’t make sense to diagnose mechanics if you can’t fix them,” Elliott said.

It would “depend on how you use the data,” Elliott added.  He agrees that Sensoria could give information on mechanical running abnormalities, but for most runners, correcting their mechanical issues would be difficult.

Elliott says a better way to show a runner their mechanics is to videotape them running.  That way they can “see what is going on.”

Taking a slow motion or normal video can help coaches show their runners how to correct specific problems in their running patterns.