Use of Inertial Measurement Units in Handball: A Review

Abstract

In handball research, inertial measurement units (IMUs) have emerged as a popular tool for quantifying athlete movement. Despite their widespread use, there is a lack of consensus on data collection methods and data processing techniques in handball. This review aims to evaluate the current use of IMUs in handball research, focusing on the movement metrics considered and the attributes of IMU usage. A search was conducted across four online databases (EBSCO, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) employing seven inclusive and six exclusive criteria. The gathered data was categorized into several areas: the purpose of using IMUs, the devices and sensors used, the number of devices utilized and their placement on the body, and the settings of the sensors. From this search, 28 studies were selected for review. These studies predominantly used IMUs to assess external loading (primarily employing the PlayerLoad™ metric), identify movement phenomena, and evaluate changes in movement following medical interventions. While complex diagnostic systems were typically used to assess loading, smaller IMUs were employed for investigating movement phenomena. The findings highlight inconsistencies in both the setup and the placement of the devices on the body. The results indicate that IMUs can serve as a valuable tool in handball research.