Improving Performance with OpenPose: Analyzing Post-Run Feedback through a Prescriptive Dashboard

Running biomechanics play a crucial role in performance and injury prevention. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of post-run feedback on key running metrics – cadence, overstriding, and vertical oscillation. We utilized OpenPose, a state-of-the-art pose estimation tool, to capture participants’ running patterns, which were subsequently presented through a prescriptive dashboard. Participants ran for 10 minutes, received feedback, and then ran for another 10 minutes. Our findings suggest that post-run feedback can lead to adjustments in running metrics, with varying degrees of change observed among participants. Notably, vertical oscillation showed significant changes across all participants, while cadence and overstriding exhibited individual variances. Although some participants’ metrics aligned more closely with ideal biomechanics benchmarks post-feedback, others did not show uniform improvements. The study underscores the potential of tools like OpenPose and analytical dashboards in providing insights that may influence running behaviors, setting the stage for further research in this domain.