Because more than 70% of all running injuries are caused by too much mechanical load. 

Recent scientific evidence shows that many overuse injuries in running occur when the mechanical load a runner experiences is too high for what the body can handle. However, this load is influenced by a number of factors such as running style, surface and footwear choice. As a result, changes in one of these factors can be detected when taking a look at the mechanical load profile of a runner. 

Studies have shown that the experienced load can be very different between runners, even when running at the same pace. Until now, this load is typically measured on a treadmill in very specialized and expensive lab settings (only covering a short period of time). This makes such analyses very expensive and difficult to translate to a real-world context. 

By using the OnTracx sensor and related algorithms, your load can be measured and subsequently managed correctly every time you go for a run, with the ultimate aim of avoiding (another) running injury. 

More information on the science behind mechanical load available in this video.

The OnTracx sensor measures the acceleration of the tibia during running. 

Scientific research showed that the peak of this tibial acceleration (PTA; this is when the foot hits the ground) is strongly related to the shock or impact measured in the lab. As such, OnTracx allows measuring the impact or shock for every step, in an outdoor setting (where and when it really matters). This allows runners to work on injury prevention based on two validated load metrics:

• Impact (in G-forces): the force at footstrike, primarily related to stress fractures and plantar fasciitis
• Maximal load (in body weight equivalents): the peak force during stance phase, associated with injuries like Achilles tendinopathy and patellofemoral pain

More information available in this article.

Here it gets a bit scientific, but the correlation between the signal from the sensor and the laboratory measure shows a very strong correlation of r = 0.91. 

This means that our sensor-based measure is almost the same as the load parameter calculated in lab-settings. As a spin-off from Ghent University and its Sport Science Laboratory - Jacques Rogge, we care about the accuracy and validity of our product, and do not aim to create something that looks good but doesn't really do the job. 

Our measurements have been validated with the so-called ‘golden standard methods’. This means that we checked - and verified - that the load measured by Ontracx is similar to the one measured in specialized laboratory settings. This however doesn’t mean that our product is perfect. It just means we’re confident that what we’re measuring is correct enough to be used in real-world settings.

Unfortunately, that’s still possible.

Although most running injuries are caused by an excessive amount of mechanical load, they also depend on a variety of other parameters. This makes it very hard to estimate whether someone will get injured or not, as it is not straightforward to quantify and interpret each of the parameters and their mutual relationships. 

However, knowing the individual load profile of patients can provide valuable information to prevent (re-)injury and to optimize the rehabilitation process. This is because mechanical load is considered the most important risk factor for overuse injuries in running, and should be increased gradually (based on objective data) in a return-to-run context.  

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We strategically placed the sensor on the lower leg because, during extensive testing, it proved to be the most reliable location to measure mechanical load during running. Here's why:

Specificity: The lower leg experiences the first rapid deceleration as your foot strikes the ground. Which only can be captured by measuring at that specific location.

Consistency: Unlike other locations, such as in the shoe, on the laces, or on the lower back, attaching the sensor around the lower leg minimizes interference from external factors and ensures your data reflects actual running load.

‍Validation: Through rigorous lab testing, we found that the lower leg provided the most accurate and reliable data.

It’s important to place the sensor the same way every time you go for a run. Here are some guidelines for proper sensor attachment:

Place the sensor about 10cm above your inner ankle, on the flat part of your shin bone. Always attach the strap firmly, in a similar way, and on the same leg (we advise to put it on the leg that suffers (most) from running injuries). 

To make this more clear, we made a video that shows you how to attach it exactly!
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More info available in this article.

Currently this is for practical reasons.

Bilateral load quantification can offer valuable information in the return-to-run process. However, mechanical load can currently only be measured based on one leg (but we’re working on it). We advise you to attach the sensor, during rehabilitation, at the injured leg.

Advised load progression refers to the recommended weekly increase in mechanical load in percentage.

It is calculated automatically for each athlete in the Tracx Pro platform based on the athlete’s tolerance profile. This progression rate, typically guides clinicians in planning individualized training or return-to-run programs. By controlling the rate at which load increases, OnTracx helps minimize the risk of overload and reduces the likelihood of (re)injury.

The tolerance profile reflects how well an athlete’s body can cope with mechanical load. 
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This feature is available exclusively within the OnTracx Pro platform and is calculated during the intake phase when registering a new athlete.

Using validated parameters, the platform generates a personalized tolerance profile. Based on this profile, OnTracx assigns an advised load progression: a weekly percentage increase in mechanical training load tailored to the athlete’s capacity.

Athletes with a low tolerance profile receive a more conservative progression rate, while those with a high tolerance profile are assigned a more progressive rate. This ensures that training and rehabilitation are matched to the individual’s readiness, supporting safer and more effective training & return-to-run plans.

Especially tibial stress fractures, plantar fasciitis, achilles tendinopathy and patellofemoral pain have been shown to be related to a very high variety of parameters of which an excessive amount of load is considered the most crucial one - by far! Based on the available literature, managing load has already been shown to be one of the most effective ways to successfully reduce the number of running injuries. 

OnTracx gives you the possibility to measure mechanical load in an objective manner, both in the clinic and outside of the clinic. 

This means that OnTracx offers a huge advantage on several fronts during and post rehabilitation:

• When a patient is ready to start running again, the mechanical load can be objectively mapped from step one. This allows healthcare professionals to gradually increase the mechanical load, and as such not ‘overload’ the athlete from the beginning. Additionally, OnTracx allows to explain the importance of mechanical load to athletes (i.e. as an educational tool), for whom the concept ‘load’ is often difficult to understand.
  

• When running on a treadmill in a clinical practice, the mechanical load can be completely different than when an athlete runs outside the clinical setting (just think of the cushioning effect of a treadmill, and the stiff surface of concrete). With OnTracx, the mechanical load during running can also be mapped outside the clinical context (i.e. remote monitoring), in order to provide the athlete with even better care, and a better follow-up. 

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In the return-to-run phase it is crucial that the perceived load on the body is built up gradually and in an objective manner. And this for several reasons:

1. Since the athlete had an overuse injury, this means that the body was loaded too much in the past. As such, the athlete cannot simply 'return' to his or her initial state of training.
   
2. Exercise therapy has been shown to be effective in avoiding overuse injuries, and is therefore crucial in a rehabilitation context. However, exercise therapy takes quite some time before it becomes effective (up to months). It is therefore imperative to focus on strengthening the body during rehabilitation, as well as identifying and gradually increasing the mechanical load on patients. 

The latter is called 'proper load management', and is exactly what OnTracx offers.

Simply put: no, there isn’t.

Current scientific evidence shows that there’s no such thing as a ‘perfect’ running style that every runner should adopt, when it comes down to injury prevention or rehabilitation of overuse injuries. There are two important aspects here to take into account:

1. The running style of a patient (also called ‘kinematics’) can influence the way his or her body is loaded, BUT… 

2. … a certain change in running style (for example increasing cadence or step frequency) can lead to a reduction in the experienced mechanical load for some runners, but to an increase for others. 

Changes in running technique can thus be effective in reducing mechanical load, but it needs to be measured (on an individual level) to know this. Here, OnTracx can help in supporting the right intervention. 

However, it is insufficient to only focus on running technique when working on injury prevention, or when trying to rehabilitate from injury. That’s why OnTracx measures the experienced mechanical load on the level of the (individual) runner. 

Learn more about how OnTracx helps you prevent overuse injuries in this article.

Absolutely not. 

One of the most important pieces of advice for any athlete is this: if they don’t often suffer from injuries, they should continue running as they are. Altering running style and/or training regime can also have a reverse effect, especially when drastically making changes in a short period of time (which we advise not to do). 

Consequently, our product is not doing any magic, nor is it a quick fix for all running-related injuries. Instead, with OnTracx we aim to add relevant information that will help profesionals make personalized decisions.

Yes that’s possible, but only unidirectional and dynamic movements.  
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OnTracx allows you to discover, both as a patient and a healthcare professional, how much mechanical load the muscles and bones of your lower legs endure while performing other (dynamic and unidirectional) movements such as a drop jump, forward jumps, single leg hops, and so on. As a result, OnTracx can be used as an ‘educational tool’ to teach patients what mechanical load is, and to demonstrate how much load a runner/patient endures during running, step by step. 

‍Did you know that the mechanical load of a single step during a running activity is higher compared to most training drills used in a rehabilitation context?

With the intervention screening feature in OnTracx Lab, you can assess how changes in cadence or speed affect an athlete’s experienced load.

The OnTracx sensor measures both load and cadence in real time. Simply record a baseline, apply a change (e.g. higher cadence or varied speed), and compare the results. Each condition should be sustained for at least 60 seconds for reliable data.

This helps identify effective, athlete-specific load management strategies.

Yes, you can add new athletes yourself for free to your OnTracx Pro environment at any time. There is no limit to the number of athletes that can be linked to your practice.

You can simply add an athlete directly via the platform by sending them an invitation to their email address. Once they accept, you can label them as ‘in rehab’ or ‘out of rehab’, and complete their load tolerance profile. This process allows you to personalize their advised load progression and begin monitoring load data immediately from their first session with the OnTracx sensor.

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Yes, you can add new users for free to your OnTracx Pro environment at any time. There is no limit to the number of users that can be linked to your practice.

To add a new team member simply email us at onboarding@ontracx.com with their details. We'll take care of the rest and ensure they’re granted access to your shared environment.

OnTracx is designed to be flexible and accessible across multiple devices to support both in-practice and field-based use.

While OnTracx is not yet directly integrated with sportwatches, this functionality is actively in development.

Compatibility with Garmin devices will be available very shortly, enabling seamless synchronization of running pace and distance with OnTracx load data when running phone-free. Compatibility with other major brands will follow.

In the meantime, we are also working on a Strava integration, which will allow us to combine OnTracx load data with additional metrics from a wide range of sportwatches when running sessions are uploaded to Strava.

‍While OnTracx does not directly integrate with external screening or testing platforms, the OnTracx Lab module offers easy export options to complement your existing workflow.

You can easily export raw data in CSV format for further analysis, or generate a professionally ready to use PDF report to share with your athletes or integrate into your documentation process.

This flexibility allows you to seamlessly incorporate OnTracx load data into established screening protocols, or to start from scratch with a strong foundation - using a complete assessment and reporting approach.