From sprints to long-distance runs, athletics is about precision, timing, and control. At the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this September, thousands of athletes will push their limits. But what’s happening inside the body during these moments of peak performance?
That’s where biosignals come in.
What Are Biosignals in Sports?
Biosignals are electrical, chemical, optical or mechanical signals produced by the body. In athletics, the most relevant types are:
- EMG (Electromyography): Tracks muscle activation during movement;
- ECG (Electrocardiography): Monitors heart function and response to effort;
- Respiration: Observes breathing rhythms under different loads;
- Motion sensors (IMUs): Record speed, acceleration, and body orientation;
- EDA (Electrodermal Activity): Reflects stress or emotional state.
When combined, these signals help coaches, sports scientists, and medical staff monitor what’s going on beneath the surface.
What Can We Learn from Biosignals in Athletics?
Athletes train to improve performance and reduce risk. Biosignals add valuable data to both areas.
- Muscle Efficiency: EMG shows when muscles are active, how much they're working, and whether there's any imbalance between left and right sides, especially important in disciplines like long jump or sprinting.
- Cardiac Load: ECG readings during high-intensity training help identify if the heart is responding in a healthy and efficient way. It can also show signs of overtraining before symptoms appear.
- Movement Patterns: IMUs track motion in detail, helping teams correct technique or detect fatigue that isn’t visible on camera. They’re also useful in rehab after injury.
- Stress and Recovery: EDA and HRV (heart rate variability) offer insight into how well an athlete is coping with pressure, a critical factor in major championships.
Why Biosignals Matter in Major Events
In competitions like the World Championships, small differences can separate gold from silver. Biosignals help understand those differences, in real time or during analysis after the event.
They’re also useful for:
- Planning warm-ups;
- Adjusting training;
- Managing recovery between races or events;
- Guiding injury prevention strategies.
And with wearable tech becoming smaller and smarter, this kind of monitoring is more accessible than ever, even outside the lab.
What’s Next for Biosignals in Athletics?
As we look ahead to Tokyo 2025, biosignals will play an important role in how teams prepare, compete, and recover. They're already a trusted tool in sports science, and their role continues to grow with better sensors, software, and data analysis tools.
Whether it’s sprint mechanics, endurance tracking, or muscle recovery, biosignals help turn raw physical effort into measurable data, and that can make all the difference.
Want to use biosignals in your own sports research or training? Discover our tools for real-time, wearable biosignals acquisition, trusted by performance labs and universities around the world.
