Wearable IMUs offer a promising alternative to lab-based motion capture for sports biomechanics. Accurate foot contact detection (FCD) is crucial, yet most algorithms are validated for daily activities, leaving a gap in high-dynamic movements, such as sprints and changes of direction, which are linked to injury risk. This study (I) reviews FCD algorithms for such tasks and (II) develops a new IMU-based algorithm for detecting initial contact (IC) and toe-off (TO). The review highlighted limitations in sport-specific FCD solutions. Two algorithms using Pelvis Vertical Velocity (PVV) and Resultant Foot Acceleration (RFA) were tested on 302 trials. A hybrid approach combining the two, improved accuracy, achieving 5.6ms and 20.4ms median offsets for IC and TO detection respectively. The final algorithm, validated against force plates, offers a valid method for real-world sports applications.
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