wearable AI – Gabriel Landeskog credits Plantiga’s in-shoe AI movement sensors with helping him manage load and avoid setbacks after a knee injury, while the technology spreads across leagues from the NBA to the NHL.
Gabriel Landeskog now knows his knee well enough to check it without waiting for pain.
The Colorado Avalanche captain wears small sensors in the insoles of his skates for practices and games. then switches the same setup to his sneakers during training—and. at least when his schedule allows. while walking his dog. Every spin and step feeds biomechanical measurements that help him track movement patterns. stride characteristics. and how his feet interact with different surfaces. including ice and ground.
For Landeskog, the payoff is more than personal insight. He has used the data as a blueprint for resuming his career after a three-year gap caused by a complicated knee injury, and he says it helps him keep pushing without drifting into overexertion that could cost him days—or even weeks.
“This detects any red flags before I even feel them,” Landeskog said. “It’s been super important for me, and a huge help.”
The Avalanche captain’s current season has carried him into a Western Conference Final where his team trails Vegas 3-0, with Landeskog recording two of Colorado’s six goals.
Plantiga’s system is built to flag workload and movement changes that may signal trouble before an athlete feels it. The company describes its technology as an AI-driven movement platform that helps athletes prevent injuries and stay on top of their performance. Plantiga says its technology is used by players and teams in the NBA. NFL. WNBA. and MLB. as well as colleges. elite sprinters. weekend warriors. and NHL players like Landeskog.
“What we’re trying to detect is the smoke before the fire. ” said Matthew Jordan. the vice president of performance science at Plantiga and an associate professor at the University of Calgary’s faculty of kinesiology and sport medicine center. “Imagine you’re at the point where your knee is just at the cusp of the next day it’s going to be like. ‘My knee’s killing me. I can hardly walk.’ We can see in the data before you reach that tipping point.”.
The data Plantiga collects covers more than motion—it includes measurements that assess movement patterns. asymmetry. and whether Landeskog is favoring his surgically repaired right knee. The system also calculates in-game and in-practice workloads. so athletes can see when they are reaching maximum capacity and need a break.
That “before the fire” idea connects directly to what Jordan says training used to rely on: athletes pushing based on how they felt in the moment. With the sensors, Landeskog’s approach can adjust based on what the numbers say.
During the season, Jordan tunes in to watch Landeskog’s strides on the ice. There are times he notes instances he wants to examine further simply because the numbers may be outside the Swedish forward’s normal range. “Essentially, put out the ‘smoke’ before it turns into a ‘fire,’” Jordan explained. “In an athlete’s world. a fire can mean a new injury. a reinjury to the tissue. a loss of performance or a setback in rehab.”.
Plantiga’s sensors rely on a laboratory-grade inertial measurement unit (IMU) that captures 400 data points per second. Jordan calls it a “supercharged human movement measuring device.” In practice. he says the movement can be captured with 20-to-30 times more granularity than a smart phone or watch.
The technology also builds baselines in everyday settings. One way Landeskog created a baseline for his gait and biomechanics was through walking. with assistance from his dogs: the late Zoey and now Mila. who were eager participants on those data-collecting excursions. Jordan said. “We can see subtle things in your walk patterns well before it manifests as something very clinical or significant.”.
The road that led to this system began with a specific moment in the Edmonton bubble. Landeskog’s knee issues began after a skate blade cut his right knee during the 2020 playoffs in the Edmonton bubble. He worked through it and helped the Avalanche win a Stanley Cup title in 2022 by beating Tampa Bay. That championship also became the last game he played for a while.
After missing a full season, Landeskog underwent cartilage replacement surgery on May 10, 2023.
In the spring of 2024, he was introduced to Plantiga. The Vancouver-based human analytics company was founded by Quin Sandler and his late father, Norman McKay. Landeskog reached out to the Plantiga team through strength and conditioning coach Marcin Goszczynski. Jordan. who met Landeskog when the Avalanche were playing in Calgary. described their discussion as centered on his injury and his frustration with the process.
“You have to remember at this point the tunnel was dark and long — there was no light … we were miles from the end of the tunnel,” Jordan recounted.
Jordan connected Landeskog with a Canadian ski racer who went through a similar injury. “It was a relief for Gabe to know that another athlete out there had been able to conquer this injury,” Jordan said. “Has among the best mindsets, and he is 100% resilient and gritty to the core.”
Jordan said Plantiga uses a movement intelligence layer named after “Norman. ” and that potential changes in Landeskog’s biomechanics were flagged before they could escalate. Sandler said. “We’re trying to put really good data (together) that him and his trainer will use.” He added that there is a “fine Goldilocks zone” the system helps the captain stay in. and that Landeskog has been “killing it.”.
Landeskog’s return took form last season in Game 3 of the playoffs against Dallas, his first NHL contest in some 1,032 days. This season, his comeback continued: he finished with 14 goals and 21 assists over 60 regular-season games.
The same idea that guided his rehabilitation—responding quickly when movement suggests the body is tipping—now influences training decisions. Jordan described how Landeskog used to gauge readiness by feel: “He’d get on the ice and be like. ‘Oh. I feel good today.’ It’s like. ‘I think I’m just going to go hard. I feel like my knee feels really good. Oh (no), I went too far. My knee’s flared up. I’ve got to take a week off.’ With all these setbacks he couldn’t catch any progression.”.
Now, when the numbers indicate he should rest, he pays attention.
Landeskog’s approach has also put him in the running for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. which is awarded to the NHL player who exemplifies perseverance. sportsmanship and dedication. “I’m humbled and honored by it. but I think for me. the ultimate prize I’ve already won. ” Landeskog said. “That’s to continue working and getting to play hockey.”.
Plantiga wearable AI injury prevention NBA NHL in-shoe sensors IMU movement analytics Gabriel Landeskog Colorado Avalanche Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
So it’s like a smart insole that tells him when his knee’s about to act up? Wild.
I don’t get how shoes can predict injury… like your knee doesn’t care about steps lol. Sounds good though, especially if it helps them not come back too early.
“Red flags before I even feel them” ok but isn’t that just gonna make him overthink every little pain? Also he wears it for walking the dog?? I’m sorry but that seems like a lot of data for just daily life.
This is probably why he doesn’t miss as much now, like the AI stops the injury from happening. Or maybe it’s just better rehab and he’s getting lucky. Either way I’m glad it helps. Wish we had this for normal people too, not just NHL and NBA stuff. But if you wear sensors in sneakers too then how is it different from just… wearing regular insoles? Confusing.