FULGUR

The FULGUR project has been selected by the Priority Research Programme "Very High Performance Sport". It benefits from a government grant managed by the National Research Agency under the Investments for the Future program bearing the reference ANR-19-STHP-0003.

Context

The FULGUR project (team : 30 researchers, grant: €1.9 million) benefits from a government grant managed by the French National Research Agency under the Investments for the Future program (reference ANR-19-STPH-0003). This project, led by the Sport, Expertise and Performance Laboratory (EA 7370) of the French Institute of Sport (INSEP), is part of the perspective of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in collaboration with the French Federations of Athletics, Rugby and Ice Sports, the Universities of Nantes, Côte d'Azur, Savoie Mont Blanc, Jean Monnet Saint-Etienne, Saclay, the Ecole des Mines de Saint-Etienne, the Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA), the Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Natural Grass and Super Sonic Imagine.

Presentation

At the Olympic Games, maximal speed running is the most frequently performed action by athletes, with the 100m being considered the flagship event. However, achieving such sprinting speeds requires not only highly developed physical abilities but also a robust musculoskeletal system to avoid excessive injury risk. Indeed, lower limb muscle injuries, which are heavily solicited during sprinting, are the leading cause of training or competition interruptions on the international stage. France stands out historically for its excellence in speed sports and is recognized for its research in sports science applied to understanding sprint performance. Within this context, the FULGUR project pursues three main objectives:

  • To describe sprint mechanics at the center of mass and joint segment levels, in order to quantify sprint-specific training loads at these scales, under real-world training or even competition conditions (Work Package 1)
  • To determine the musculoskeletal profile of each elite athlete with the aim of offering 'tailor-made' training programs to optimize sprint propulsion efficiency (Work Package 2)
  • To estimate the injury risk level and suggest individualized prevention strategies based on a multifactorial approach that includes environmental factors (nutrition, sleep) and athlete behavior (Work Package 3)

These objectives will be supported by cross-cutting work packages aimed at improving the analysis of musculoskeletal imaging and sports movement using ultrasound techniques and machine learning.

  • Ministry of French Higher Education and Research website
  • Link to the presentation video of FULGUR project
  • Link to the presentation video, research program on sprint for #Paris2024 (french)

Social media

Twitter / Instagram / Facebook

#FULGUR2024

Press review

Fornasier-Santos C, Slawinski JL’INSEP dévoile le projet Fulgur pour booster la performance sportive

Fornasier-Santos C, Interview SportMag, juillet 2024, et interview Gémima Joseph 

Slawinski J, Interview RFI 

Giroux C, Guilhem G, Rabita G, Macchi R, Fornasier-Santos C, Slawinski J, Maurel A, Documentaire « Plus vite, plus haut, plus fort », France 5

Guilhem G, Emission « La terre au carré », France inter, 28 juin 2024

Guilhem G, Performances sportives : dans les coulisses de la science, France inter, 27 juin 2024

Guilhem G., Paris 2024 : à huit mois des Jeux olympiques, la grande peur de la blessure chez les athlètes, Franceinfo

Giroux C. A deux ans des Jeux de Paris, FULGUR est déjà bien au point. Interview pour INSEP Le Mag #51(octobre 2022).

Gaël Guilhem. Podcast Sport, Expertise et Performance Ep#3 Prévention de la blessure : FULGUR

Gaël Guilhem. Podcast Sport, Expertise et Performance Ep#3 Prévention de la blessure : FULGUR

Slawinski J. Giroux C. Le sprint et les lois de la dynamique. Emission pour ARTE.

France 7 masculin : Fulgur, au point ! – Article FFR

Comment des chercheurs nantais préparent des sportifs français à l’or aux JO de Paris – Article 20 minutes

Hypoxie, sprints et accompagnement scientifique à la performance JO 2024 – Podcast Objectif performance : Charly Fornasier Santos

Objectif JO 2024 pour ces chercheurs Nantais – Interview Lilian Lacourpaille TéléNantes

Le sprint et la loi de la dynamique – Série documentaire Culture Physique ARTE

Seminar

Giroux C, Slawinski J, Rabita G, Ruffautl A, Morales-Artacho A, Caumeil B, Fornasier-Santos C, Guilhem G. FULGUR Seminar. December 13th 2022 - INSEP

RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS

SPORTs PARTNERSHIPS

  • Fédération Française d'Athlétisme (FFA)
  • Fédération Française des Sports de Glace (FFSG)
  • Fédération Française de Rugby (FFR)

SEP Collaborators

Gaël GUILHEM, Director of the SEP laboratory – Scientific leader of the project

Jean SLAWINSKI, Researcher – Work Package 1 scientific leader

Giuseppe RABITA, Researcher – Work Package 2 scientific leader

Alexis RUFFAULT, Researcher – Work Package 3 scientific leader

Antonio MORALES-ARTACHO, Researcher – Transversal Work Package 1 scientific leader/p>

Antoine COUTURIER, Research engineer

Eve TIOLLIER, Researcher

Membres collaborators of the Operational Comitee

Jean-Benoît MORIN, Professor at Jean Monnet University St-Etienne - WP 1 scientific leader

Antoine NORDEZ, Professeur - Professor at University of Nantes– WP2 scientific leader

Pascal EDOUARD, Chercheur - MD and Professor at Jean Monnet University St-Etienne – WP3 scientific leader

Bertrand LUVISON, Researcher at CEA-List – TWP1 scientific leader

Laurent NAVARRO, Researcher at ARMINES

Christine HANON, Scientific referent – Athletics federation

Hugo Maciejewski, Scientific referent – Athletics federation

Julien ROBINEAU, Men’s Rugby 7 French Team Strength and conditioning coach – Rugby federation

Alexandre VANHOUTTE, French Bobsleigh Team Director FF Ice Sports

Xavier VAN DER LAAN, Scientific Project Manager - Natural Grass

Pierre SAMOZINO, Researcher –University of Savoie

Jean-Luc GENNISSON, Researcher director - University of Paris Saclay

Collaborators recruted on the project

Caroline GIROUX, FULGUR project Manager - TWP2 leader - INSEP

Charly FORNASIER-SANTOS, Postdoctoral fellow WP1- University of Côte d'Azur- INSEP

Enzo HOLLVILLE, Postdoctoral fellow WP2 - INSEP

Robin MACCHI, Postdoctoral fellow WP2 - INSEP

Andras HEGYI, Postdoctoral fellow WP2 - University of Nantes

Benjamin CAUMEIL, Postdoctoral fellow WP3 – INSEP

Anaïs MAUREL, Research engineer - INSEP

Thaïs FISCHER, Research engineer - INSEP

Fatemeh BAGHERI, Postdoctoral fellow WP3 - Jean Monnet University St-Etienne

Hugo MICHARD, Postdoctoral fellow TWP1 - CEA-List

Steve BEUVE, Postdoctoral fellow TWP1 – University of Paris Saclay

Collaborateurs associés

Michel CREMA, Radiologist, GIE Medical Imaging - INSEP

Sébastien LEGARREC, Head Physician, Medical Department - INSEP

Laurent WINKLER, Deputy Head, Medical Department - INSEP

Antoine BRUNEAU, Lead Physician - French Athletics Federation

Philippe PEYTRAL, Head of Physiotherapy - French Athletics Federation

Julien PISCIONE, Scientific Advisor - French Rugby Federation

Olivier CHAPLAIN, Scientific Advisor - French Rugby Federation

Anthony COUDERC, Strength and Conditioning Coach, Women’s Sevens - French Rugby Federation

Jacques GIRARDIN, Federal Physician - French Rugby Federation

Jérôme DARET, Men’s Sevens Coach - French Rugby Federation

David COURTEIX, Women’s Sevens Coach - French Rugby Federation

Rémy LOUIS, Physiotherapist, Men’s Sevens - French Rugby Federation

Lionel LABADIE, Physiotherapist, Women’s Sevens - French Rugby Federation

Max ROBERT, Women’s Bobsleigh Team Coach - French Ice Sports Federation

Thierry TRIBONDEAU, Men’s Bobsleigh Team Coach - French Ice Sports Federation

Quoc Cuong PHAM, Researcher - CEA-List

Jérémy GOUILLON, Research Engineer - Natural Grass

Bertrand PICARD, President - Natural Grass

Thomas FRAPPART, Research Engineer - Supersonic Imagine

François HUG, Professor - University of Côte d'Azur

Enzo PIPONNIER, Researcher - University of Côte d'Azur

Sylvain DOREL, Researcher - University of Nantes

Lilian LACOURPAILLE, Researcher - University of Nantes

Léonard FEASSON, Researcher - Jean Monnet University St-Etienne

Thomas LAPOLE, Researcher - Jean Monnet University St-Etienne

Jérémy ROSSI, Researcher - Jean Monnet University St-Etienne

Scientific articles

2024

Edouard P, Dandrieux P. E., Junge A, Navarro L, Giroux C, Guex K, Branco P, Guilhem G, & Hollander K. (2024). Is the risk of muscle injuries higher in the finals than in previous rounds of the 100 m, 200 m and 400 m sprints of international athletics championships? Journal of science and medicine in sport, 27(5), 302–306. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2024.02.007

2023

Edouard P, Caumeil B, Giroux C, Bruneau A, Tondut J, Navarro L, Hanon C, Guilhem G, Ruffault A, Epidemiology of athletics-related injury complaints in elite athletics (Track and Field) sprinting athletes: A retrospective survey, soumis dans Applied Science  https://doi.org/10.3390/app13148105

 

2022

 

Edouard P, Caumeil B, Verhagen E, Guilhem G, Ruffault A. Maximising individualisation of sports injury risk reduction approach to reach success. Braz J Phys Ther. 2022 May-Jun;26(3):100394. doi: 10.1016/j.bjpt.2022.100394. Epub 2022 Feb 12. PMID: 35526371; PMCID: PMC9092190.

Fornasier-Santos C, Arnould A, Jusseaume J, Millot B, Guilhem G, Couturier A, Samozino P, Slawinski J, Morin JB. Sprint Acceleration Mechanical Outputs Derived from Position- or Velocity-Time Data: A Multi-System Comparison Study. Sensors (Basel). 2022 Nov 8;22(22):8610. doi: 10.3390/s22228610. PMID: 36433206; PMCID: PMC9698850.

Other articles (professional or technical reviews)

 

2023

 

Edouard P, Caumeil B, Giroux C, Bruneau A, Tondut J, Navarro L, Hanon C, Guilhem G, Ruffault A. Les blessures liées à la pratique du sprint élite en France, revue de l’Association des Entraîneurs Français d'Athlétisme (AEFA), mars 2023.

J. Tondut, P.-E. Dandrieux, B. Caumeil, A. Ruffault, C. Giroux, G. Guilhem, L. Navarro, P. Édouard, Estimation du risque de blessures en utilisant le machine learning basée sur le monitoring de la perception des états physiques et mentaux des athlètes : étude préliminaire sur 110 athlètes de haut niveau suivis sur une période de 18 mois, Volume 8148, Issue 2, 06/2023, Pages 55-134, ISSN 0762-915X, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jts.2023.04.002

2022

Giroux C. Les projets de recherche fédéraux, Athlétisme Magazine n° 595 (printemps 2022).

Quantification of viscoelastic properties of Achille’s Tendon: a first step to explore muscle tendon structures exposed to substantial injury incidence, IEEE IUS Virtual Symposium, Septembre 2021 Voir le poster

Analysis of the perception of injuries by athletes and their influences on the implementation of measures to prevent injuries in athletics, Journal de Traumatologie du Sport, Décembre 2020 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jts.2020.09.004

Lower limb muscle injury location shift from posterior lower leg to hamstring muscles with increasing discipline-related running velocity in international athletics championships, Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, Février 2021 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2021.02.006

AW-Net: Automatic muscle structure analysis on B-mode ultrasound images for injury prevention, ACM Conference on Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, and Health Informatics, Aout 2021

 

Congress and Seminar

2024

Edouard P, Caumeil B, Giroux C, Bruneau A, Tondut J, Navarro L, Hanon C, Guilhem G, Ruffault A, Injury complaints during their lifetime athletics practice in high-level athletes in track and field disciplines with sprints, 7 th IOC World Conference on Prevention of Injury and Illness in Sport, 29 février au 2 mars 2024

Giroux C, Macchi R, Piecuch L, Hegyi A, Fornasier-Santos C, Slawinski J, Morin JB, Lacourpaille L, Couturier A, Nordez A, Rabita G, Guilhem G. Relationships between lower limb muscle volume, muscle strength and sprint performance in elite athletes. ECSS, Glasgow, Ecosse. July 2024.

Giroux C, Hegyi A, Macchi R, Morales A, Créma M, Nordez A, Lacourpaille L, Rabita G, Guilhem G. Hamstring muscle elasticity in elite athletes with and without a previous hamstring strain injury. IOC World Conference on Prevention of Injury and Illness in Sport, Monaco, British Journal of Sports Medicine. IOC, Monaco, February 2024.

Guilhem G, Poirier C, Amen X, Hegyi A, Macchi R, Giroux C, Lacourpaille L. Muscle activation within hamstring muscles during strengthening exercises: a systematic review. ECSS, Glasgow, Ecosse. July 2024.24

Macchi R, Hegyi A, GirouxC, Lacourpaille L, Fornasier-Santos C, Slawinski J, Morin J, Nordez A, Rabita G, Guilhem G, Influence of speed and resistance on lower-limb electromyographic activity during sprint running, 7th IOC World Conference on Prevention of Injury and Illness in Sport, 29 février au 2 mars 2024

Ruffault A, Psychological correlates of injury characteristics in 90 French elite athletes, 7 th IOC World Conference on Prevention of Injury and Illness in Sport, 29 février au 2 mars 2024

Tondut J, Dandrieux P, Caumeil B, Ruffault A, Giroux C, Guilhem G, Navarro L, Edouard P, Injury risk estimation using machine learning based on athletes’ physical and mental states perception monitoring: Preliminary study on 93 high-level athletes during 18 months , 7 th IOC World Conference on Prevention of Injury and Illness in Sport, 29 février au 2 mars 2024

2023

Charentus A., Fornasier-Santos C., Le Moan D., Giroux C., Guilhem G., Morin JB., Slawinski J. Effect of force velocity and power-based training on sprint performance: a preliminary study. ECSS, Paris, France, July 2023.

Fornasier-Santos C., Bourgeois l., Martin S., Couturier A., Guilhem G, Edouard P., Slawinski J., Morin J-B. Effects of force-power-velocity resisted sprints during warm-up on running sprint performance and mechanical profile in national athletes: a preliminary study. ECSS, Paris, France, July 2023.

Galizzi V., Amiot A., Hegyi A, Morales A., Guilhem G., Luvison B. AI-driven sprint kinematics analysis using sagittal video footage for high-performance sprinting. ECSS, Paris, France, July 2023.

Giroux C, Hegyi A, Macchi R, Hollville E, Caumeil B, Edouard P, Couturier A, Nordez A, Lacourpaille L, Rabita G, Guilhem G. Muscle EMG activity distribution between the hamstring heads during high-speed running in high elite athlete with a history of hamstring strain injury. ECSS, Paris, France, July 2023.

Tondut J., Navarro L., Giroux C., Caumeil B., Ruffault A., Guilhem G., Edouard P. Injury prediction using machine learning based on the monitoring of sprinting athletes’ perception of physical and mental states. ECSS, Paris, France, July 2023.

2022

Caumeil B, Edouard P, Guilhem G, Ruffault A. Psychological profiles of French elite athletes practicing sports involving sprints: a cross sectional study. 16th European Congress of Sport and Exercise Psychology, Padova, Italy, July 2022.

Caumeil B, Edouard P, Guilhem G, Ruffault A. Psychological profiles of French elite athletes practicing sports involving sprints: a cross sectional study. 7th Congrès international de la Société Française de Psychologie du Sport, Vichy, France, June 2022.

Hegyi A, Fornasier-Santos C, Hollville E, Giroux C, Leboeuf F, Lacourpaille L, Nordez A, Rabita G, Slawinski J, Morin J-B, Dorel S, Hug F, Guilhem G, The effect of hip extension velocity on the association between hip extension torque and sprint horizontal force in elite athletes, 27th Annual Congress of European College of Sport Science, Sevilla, Spain, September 2022.

Hollville E, Nordez A, Dorel S, Lacourpaille L, Hegyi A, Giroux C, Rabita G, Guilhem G., Rate of torque development and contractile performance during ankle plantar flexion in elite athletes. 27th Annual Congress of European College of Sport Science, Sevilla, Spain, September 2022.

Giroux C, Hollville E, Hegyi A, Caumeil B, Morales A, Nordez A, Ruffault A, Edouard P, Couturier A, Rabita G, Guilhem G. Muscle elasticity, strength and flexibility in high elite athlete with hamstring strain injury history. 27th Annual Congress of European College of Sport Science, Sevilla, Spain, September 2022.

Fornasier-Santos C, Arnould A, Jusseaume J, Millot B, Guilhem G, Couturier A, Samozino P, Slawinski J, Morin JB. Sprint Acceleration Mechanical Outputs Sprint acceleration mechanical outputs derived from position- or velocity-time data: a multi-system comparison study. 27th Annual Congress of European College of Sport Science, Sevilla, Spain, September 2022.

2021

S. Beuve; A. Flandin; A. Nordez; L. Lacourpaille; F. Hug; R. Le Galèze; G. Guilhem; J-L Genisson, Quantification of elastic properties of Achille's tendon: a first step to explore muscle-tendon structures exposed to substantial injury incidence, 2021 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium (IUS), Xi'an, China, 2021, pp. 1-4, doi: 10.1109/IUS52206.2021.9593422.

Michard H, Bertrand L, Quoc-Cuong P, Morales-Artacho AJ, Guilhem G. AW-Net: automatic muscle structure analysis on B-mode ultrasound images for injury prevention. AW-Net: automatic muscle structure analysis on B-mode ultrasound images for injury prevention. Proceedings of the 12th ACM Conference on Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, and Health Informatics. 2021;1 9

Other meeting presentations

2023

Fornasier-Santos C et Giroux C, Présentation de l’état d’avance du projet FULGUR, colloque international sur le sprint, European Athletics « Coaching Summit Series », Lievin 18 et 19 novembre 2023

2022

Caumeil B, Tondut J, Navarro L, Edouard P, Ruffault A. Vers une proposition d’intervention à l’aide d’un outil d’aide à la décision (monitoring) pour prévenir les blessures en Sprint. Assises du sprint FFA, Lyon, Octobre 2022.

Fornasier-Santos C. Echauffement et renforcement musculaire en sprint. Séminaire blessures EOPS, Nantes, Avril 2022.

Fornasier-Santos C, Morin J-B, Slawinski J. Training load and mechanics in elite sprint. Six Nations U20 FFR, Marcoussis, Avril 2022.

Fornasier-Santos C. Echauffement et renforcement musculaire en sprint. Assises du sprint FFA, Lyon, Octobre 2022.

Fornasier-Santos C, Slawinski J. Suivi de la charge d’entraînement et optimisation de la propulsion en sprint. Assises du sprint FFA, Lyon, Octobre 2022.

Fornasier-Santos C, Giroux C, Slawinski J. Optimisation de la performance en sprint. Assises épreuves combinées FFA, Talence, Septembre 2022. Giroux C, Slawinski J. Présentation du projet FULGUR, suivi de la charge d’entraînement et optimisation de la propulsion en sprint. Assises de sauts en longueur FFA, Paris, Novembre 2022.

Giroux C, Guilhem G, Présentation du projet FULGUR, Conférences A La Recherche de la Performance organisées, INSEP, mars 2022

Giroux C, Evaluation et suivi des athlètes pour la prévention des blessures, Projet FULGUR, Symposia sur la prévention des blessures organisés par le Réseau Francophone Olympique de Recherche en Médecine du Sport (ReFORM) à Quebec, Avril 2022

Guilhem G. État des connaissances relatives aux blessures aux ischio-jambiers : de la recherche au terrain]. Séminaire blessures ANEOPS, Nantes, Avril 2022.

Guilhem G. The Fulgur project: muscle injury prevention in elite athletes. Symposium sur la prévention des blessures organisés par le Réseau Francophone Olympique de Recherche en Médecine du Sport (ReFORM), Luxembourg, Octobre 2022

Guilhem G. Toward an individualised periodisation of training load adapted to muscle properties in order to reduce injury occurrence in sprint running: the FULGUR project. International Olympic Committee Research Centres’ meeting. 13th Luxemburg, Octobre 2022

2021

Guilhem G. FULGUR : l’imagerie et l’évaluation fonctionnelle au service de l’individualisation de l’entraînement du sprinter. Soirtées de l’expertise de l’Assocition des Kinés du Rugby. 16 Juin 2021. Webinaire.