The mechanical load is the load that your muscles and bones (of the lower extremities) have to endure during running.

Mechanical load is very different from the so-called ‘physiological’ load, which represents e.g. your heart rate, your breathing and how much energy your body requires during physical activity. 

When the mechanical load becomes too much for your body to handle, overuse injuries, such as stress fractures, can occur. Although it has been possible to measure physiological load already for a long time (via heart rate belts, running watches, etc.), OnTracx is the first to quantify mechanical load in a valid and reliable way.

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. 

OnTracx is relevant for runners who often suffer from overuse injuries, or for those who want to work on injury prevention.

If you often have overuse injuries, such as stress fractures, cartilage damage or Achilles or patellar tendinopathy, this is most likely due to the fact that your body has been loaded too much, training after training. OnTracx allows you to objectively quantify the mechanical load, subsequently using that information to gradually build up your training program, also taking into account the pain and feeling (comfort) aspects. 

‍A tip from the OnTracx team: if you never suffered from injuries and have quite some experience in running, then your body might be able to cope with the experienced load! In other words: you are doing well and you might not gain additional benefits from using OnTracx.

On the other hand, in case of pain and discomfort. Always consult a medical professional first.

Although OnTracx currently does not tell you what to do (or not to do), it helps you to individualize the following main aspects:

1. Total (or cumulative) load (in g forces). Total load indicates how much mechanical load you experienced during your entire run (or during an entire week). 

2. Load progression (in %). This parameter shows you how much mechanical load you experienced this week compared to last week.
   
   
3. Pain scores (score out of 10). Manage pain and comfort while gradually increasing the load you experience. Pain and comfort scores will become even more relevant once we release our updated algorithms!
   
   
4. Real-time mechanical load (in g-forces). Visualizing the mechanical load you experience while running enables you to discover how you can manage the experienced mechanical load, for example by changing footwear, surface or running technique.  

Of course, we advise to consult your running coach for all things regarding your running program and medical doctor or paramedical specialist in case of pain or related symptoms.

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This depends, but in short: the longer, the better.

The longer you run with OnTracx, the more accurate OnTracx can keep up with your load progression. On average, the condition of a runner increases after only four weeks of running. On the other hand, muscles, tendons and bones (significantly) adapt after only six months. That’s why it’s so important to track your mechanical load over time, as this information can then be used in a much better way to drive future benefits. 

This depends on you as a runner. 

If you’re a runner that frequently gets injured, or if you are training towards a certain goal, it’s necessary to track mechanical load over time. This is because subtle changes in your training regime, running style, surface or footwear choice can trigger large changes in mechanical load. Unfortunately, you will only be able to tell when it’s too late, i.e. when you’re injured (unless you’re using OnTracx). 

On the other hand, if you never suffered from injuries and have quite some experience in running, then your body is most likely able to cope with the experienced load! In other words: you are doing fine in that case!

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Your mechanical load is shown in a ‘g’-unit. The average runner has a load of about 9g, with a high impact runner showing values above 12g. 

However, it is not straightforward to know whether you are an average, high or low load runner without actually measuring it. Fortunately, from now on you can use OnTracx to know this. In addition, this load can vary greatly from runner to runner. For example, recent studies show that mechanical load can differ between two runners who run a similar distance at a similar pace, with no less than 15%! That’s why we offer runners and the ones supporting them the possibility to know the load they experience- not just after a run, but also during running. 

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Changes in running technique can reduce mechanical load, but not necessarily. 

First it’s important to realize that changes in running technique CAN lead to a reduction in mechanical load, but not necessarily. For example, an increase in step frequency (or cadence) results in a reduction of mechanical load for some runners, but in an increase for others. That’s why it’s so important to quantify mechanical load over time. 

If you do change your running technique, then we advise you to do it very gradually (subtle changes) and check based on the OnTracx technology whether it effectively reduces your mechanical load.

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Simply put, these parameters can all have an effect on the mechanical load you experience. 

However, these changes are very individual and can thus differ from runner to runner. OnTracx allows you to discover which surface, footwear type and running style have a positive effect (i.e. lower) on mechanical load. In the case of people transitioning during their rehab into a return-to-run phase, the same information can be used to gradually increase the load on their body, while managing the pain and overall comfort levels.

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No, OnTracx is not a medical device.

However, our innovative technology is designed to effectively manage mechanical load on the lower legs during running. Although not a medical device, our solution can be very relevant for injury prevention or rehabilitation purposes. Always consult a healthcare professional for personalized medical advice. Please take a look at our terms of use for further details.

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