Therapeutic area · Sports medicineUpdated September 29, 2026

EDC for sports medicine and performance trials

Athletes train, travel and compete, and they do not sit in waiting rooms. Sports medicine trials need performance tests at the clinic, symptom and training data from the field, and clear return-to-sport definitions. Capture puts all of it in one study.

  • Performance tests as site forms
  • Remote PROs on phones
  • Return-to-sport tracking

Free sandbox · No credit card · 21 CFR Part 11 aligned

Performance testing · Month 6
Subject 002-0017 · ACL reconstructionSubmitted

Single-leg hop, operated leg

HOPOP
148cm

Single-leg hop, other leg

HOPNON
162cm

Quadriceps strength, operated leg

QSTROP
212Nm

Returned to pre-injury sport

RTS
NoTraining onlyFull competition
Limb symmetry derived in analysis

What matters in sports medicine trials

  • Return to sport is the outcome athletes care about most. Define it precisely: training, competition, or return to the pre-injury level.
  • Condition-specific PROs measure symptoms and function, for example tendon questionnaires such as the VISA scales, or knee measures such as KOOS.
  • Performance tests such as hop tests, strength testing and the 6-minute walk in rehabilitation settings need standardised procedures.
  • Concussion studies use standardised assessment tools and graded return-to-play protocols.
  • Participants are often athletes with demanding schedules, so remote questionnaires and flexible windows improve completion.

Study design

Clinic tests and field data together

A sports medicine study often combines structured clinic assessments (strength, hop tests, range of motion, imaging) with data that only exists outside the clinic: pain during training, training load, sessions missed, time to return. The first belongs on site forms with units and range checks; the second on short questionnaires the participant completes on their phone after training or weekly.

Limb symmetry index, a common return-to-sport criterion after knee surgery, is calculated from the operated and non-operated limb values. Record both limbs as separate fields so the index can be derived consistently. Supplements and ergogenic aid trials in athletes also need anti-doping considerations for the product and any rescue medication.

Wearables and training load

GPS and heart rate devices produce detailed training data. Most studies store summary metrics (distance, sessions, perceived exertion) as structured fields and keep raw device data in the device platform. See EDC for wearable device studies.

Evening diary

Question 3 of 8

How would you rate your fatigue today?

0 = no fatigue, 10 = worst imaginable

012345678910
Add a photo (optional)
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● Answers saved as they go

Remote data

Weekly check-ins on the athlete's phone

Participants answer short questionnaires from a secure link, with no app. Reminders go out when a task is due, the next day and before the window closes, and respect quiet hours in the participant's own time zone, which helps when teams travel. Compliance is visible per participant.

  • BYOD questionnaires, no app.
  • Reminders that respect time zones.
  • Compliance per participant.
ePRO software for clinical trials
1

When due

18:00

Your evening diary is open

2

Next day

18:00

Reminder: your diary is still open

3

Final notice

21:30

Last chance before the window closes

Quiet hours

22:00 to 08:00 in the participant's time zone

Stops

As soon as the task is completed

Build a performance test form and weekly check-in

Try both in the free sandbox.

Build your sports study free

Endpoints

Sports medicine endpoints and their data

AreaTypical endpointsData needed
Ligament injury and surgeryReturn to sport, knee function PROs, re-injuryHop tests, strength by limb, PROs, sport participation
TendinopathyTendon-specific PRO scores, pain on loadingValidated questionnaires, pain ratings, loading programme adherence
Muscle injuryTime to return to play, re-injury rateInjury grading, return dates, training exposure
ConcussionSymptom resolution, time to return to playStandardised assessment tools, symptom scales, graded return stages
Performance and recoveryPerformance tests, recovery markersTest results with units, training load, wellness questionnaires

Analysis

Injury rates need exposure data

Injury prevention trials report injuries per 1,000 hours of exposure, not just injury counts, because teams and players train and compete for different amounts of time. That means collecting training and match hours throughout the study, which is exactly the kind of data that goes missing if it depends on memory at a monthly visit. Weekly questionnaires with reminders keep exposure data complete.

Define injuries consistently too: time-loss injuries, medical attention injuries, and how recurrences are counted. Consensus statements for injury surveillance in sport help, and the definitions belong in the protocol and the form help text.

Study build

Sports medicine study build checklist

Return-to-sport definition

Training, competition or pre-injury level.

Performance tests

Standardised procedures, both limbs recorded.

PROs

Condition-specific questionnaires with licences checked.

Exposure data

Weekly training and match hours.

Injury definitions

Time-loss and recurrence rules in the protocol.

Anti-doping

Product and rescue medication checked where relevant.

FAQ

Questions teams ask before they switch

Something not covered here? Ask us directly.

Can concussion assessments be recorded?

Yes, as site forms following your chosen standardised tool, with licences checked where needed.

Can each club or clinic be a site?

Yes. Each site sees only its own participants.

How is return to sport defined?

Protocols define it explicitly, for example return to training, to competition, or to the pre-injury level of performance.

Why record both limbs?

Limb symmetry indices compare the injured and uninjured limb, so both values are needed.

Can athletes complete questionnaires while travelling?

Yes. Questionnaires open on their phone from a secure link, and reminders respect quiet hours in their own time zone.

Why collect training hours?

Injury rates are usually reported per 1,000 hours of exposure, which needs exposure data.

Are wearable data stored in Capture?

Studies usually store summary metrics as structured fields; raw device data stays in the device platform.

Can I try it free?

Yes, in the free sandbox with every feature.

Sports trials that fit athletes' lives

Clinic tests and remote check-ins in one study. Free sandbox.

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