The Premier League is looking for marginal gains in the bathroom Clubs are using Kamleon's S-Urinals to monitor players' hydration levels

Winning the Premier League title also comes down to pee. This is no joke. It is the latest frontier in marginal gains, the theory that improving every single aspect of a process, even by just 1%, can lead to significantly better overall results over time. As reported by The Athletic, several clubs, primarily in England, are installing state-of-the-art urinals at their training grounds to collect additional data on their players and improve their performance.

At the heart of this revolution is Kamleon, a Spanish startup founded in Barcelona that, according to its official description, "develops user-centric technologies with the aim of motivating people to live better by democratising wellbeing monitoring". At the centre of its innovation is the S-Urinal, a next-generation urinal that is essentially a computer capable of collecting scientific data about the person using it, particularly their hydration levels.

How S-Urinals work

At first glance, S-Urinals work just like any other urinal. What sets them apart from the ones you would find in a bar is what happens before and after you pee. Each unit has a dedicated database for players, who can choose to select their own profile or use the urinal anonymously. Once they have finished, the system analyses the collected biomarkers and, for registered users, compares them with previous measurements. This allows S-Urinal to provide personalised guidance on the habits users should adopt to maintain optimal hydration levels.

The ultimate goal is, of course, to maximise performance. A study published in 2020 in the European Journal of Sport Science analysed 24 studies on the subject, highlighting how dehydration before physical activity is far from uncommon. Based on urine specific gravity measurements, it was found in 63.3% of the cases examined, with a prevalence of 66.2% among professional footballers and 79.6% before training sessions. For clubs, collecting and analysing these metrics means identifying potential imbalances before they affect performance on the pitch, turning an everyday bodily function into a tool for prevention and performance optimisation.

Which clubs are using them?

As unusual as it may seem, the story of S-Urinals reflects an increasingly evident trend in professional sport: the pursuit of performance also extends to seemingly marginal aspects of everyday life. Several Premier League clubs have already opted for Kamleon's technology. Manchester United installed the units at their training ground during the latest renovation works at the Carrington Training Complex. Ipswich Town are the latest English club to join the list, following in the footsteps of Arsenal, Aston Villa and Manchester City. S-Urinals have also made their way to Italy, more specifically to Collecchio, home to Parma's training ground. In La Liga, Barcelona, Villarreal and Athletic Club have adopted these next-generation urinals, as has Monaco in Ligue 1. The trend is also spreading beyond football, with several NBA and NFL franchises installing them as well.