Figure skating doesn't look easy. Heck, it's not. It puts the body through a lot of strain and stress. So the researchers from Brigham Young University decided to design and build an unobtrusive skate sensor to measure the impact when a figure skater lands on a jump. They found out that they absorb up to eight times their own body weight!

When you run, your legs are only absorbing two to three times your body weight. But figure skaters do pretty high jumps, and the impacts dramatically increases the weight.



This new data is important because it will help to minimize the inevitable injuries that come from absorbing all this weight. Stress fractures in the feet and legs and hip and back injuries are far too common among figure skaters.

The sensor could help coaches and physicians develop new training routines that are easier on athlete's bodies too to help them compete as long as possible. [Brigham Young University]