How smart urinals became the Premier League's latest marginal gain New York Times (Online) Gregg Evans Of all the places Premier League players might look for a marginal gain, the toilet would hardly seem to be the most obvious. But there's a new performance hack sweeping through men's football that is changing the way players view a visit to the toilet. Toilets equipped with S-Urinals (the “s” stands for smart) are starting to appear at a growing number of training grounds across the country. These are designed to measure biomarkers in urine. The S-Urinals can extract data from every urine sample to determine whether a player is fully hydrated, but the really clever part is the speed at which results are provided. As Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Aston Villa and, most recently, Ipswich Town are finding out, the ability to spot patterns, react quickly and build personalised plans is helping to bring out an extra per cent in players. The process is simple, if initially a little strange. As can be seen in the image above of the S-Urinals, there is a touchscreen on top of each urinal and the process is fairly straightforward. First, there's a choice to urinate “anonymously” or in identification mode, which involves touching a name or profile on the screen. This means the data provided will be tracked and judged according to their previous samples. From there, built-in sensors instantly measure the urine specific gravity (USG), colour, volume, and total electrolyte concentration, sending data directly to the club's medical team while giving the player an immediate green, yellow or red hydration score with a matching number out of 100. If attention is needed, solutions are then drawn up to determine how to fix the problem. A player might be recommended what to drink and how often. It could be the difference between a player performing to his best or falling just short. Another key metric that can be useful when monitoring a profile is urine frequency, especially if an unusual pattern is developing. Players fasting during Ramadan have found the regular testing to be helpful when extra care and attention are needed around their physical condition. Measuring and tracking hydration is nothing new — clubs have been doing that for years. What is different about the S-Urinals is that they have taken away the need for old-fashioned manual testing that was both tedious and time-consuming. Jordi Ferre, the CEO of Kamleon, who created the S-Urinals, says it was difficult for clubs to conduct daily hydration tests in the past because of time constraints. He tells The Athletic : “The benefit of real-time feedback allows immediate action. “Hydration is very dynamic, so it makes sense to act on the problem straight away rather than a day later, after data has been analysed, which was often the case in the old way.” The importance of hydration — maintaining an adequate balance of fluids in the body — is key for both performance and recovery in football, and findings from recent surveys have placed a greater focus on the area. Research published in the European Journal of Sport Science in 2020 pulled together data from 24 studies to report interesting findings based on USG. This showed how 66.2 per cent of professional players assessed were either hypohydrated or dehydrated, and therefore at risk of underperforming. Figures vary between different groups of players and whether they were assessed before training or a match, but the findings highlight why there is a need to regularly assess hydration status, especially when small margins can make a big difference. Other studies suggest hydration status may influence the body's physiological stress response, with potential implications on recovery. This is why Kamleon spent four years working on the technology to create the S-Urinals, and since the rollout over the past two years, feedback from staff and players has been positive. Clubs with a strong culture and togetherness are seeing plenty of players use the technology to their advantage, particularly if they've noticed poor levels of hydration in the data previously provided. Some clubs are even holding in-house competitions to see which players score the highest or use the technology the most. The instant feedback helps players become more engaged with the data and the staff who are crunching the numbers. At a time when every per cent counts in professional sport, the extra assistance and speed are playing a key role in preparation. Mark Ashton, the Ipswich Town CEO, spoke glowingly of the S-Urinals on a tour of the new training ground via the club's official site recently, saying: “The player's face appears on the screen, he clicks it, uses the toilet as normal and the results are immediately analysed upstairs, and we then know the hydration levels of players, which is key to us. When we show people around, they almost can't believe we have these in place.” Manchester United installed them as part of a ￡50million upgrade last year, but they are making a difference beyond the Premier League. In Spain, a number of clubs in La Liga, including Barcelona, Villarreal and Athletic Club, are on board, while Monaco in France have recently upgraded their training facilities with the new addition. Other sports are also beginning to recognise their potential benefits, with cyclists taking an interest, and clubs across the NFL and NBA adopting them, too. Admittedly, not every player is laser-focused on the small gains, but those who choose to use the identification mode are able to adjust accordingly, developing healthier habits if required. Coaching and performance teams are constantly striving for additional help and ways to work quicker and more efficiently. Going to the toilet might still be a quiet, private moment, but the data and feedback produced from what was previously a routine task are delivering game-changing results.