Welcome to another insightful and interesting article from your trusted team at Health Tech Zone. Regular readers of our articles know the team often covers the most pressing and important issues of the week relating to healthcare and how technology is changing the landscape for the better. Tech in health is nothing new, but recent advancements and improvements in technology have revolutionized the healthcare industry. People from many backgrounds now enjoy quicker, better, and more accurate care thanks to modern technology.
The subject we'd like to cover today is slightly different from what you'd usually expect to find on our pages, but it's every bit as useful and interesting. We're looking at ways technology has improved and is continuing to improve safety in professional sports. From the leading players in the NFL to the most famous soccer stars listed at the top sports betting app in California, they all require protection. To allow them to perform at the highest level and continue to push the boundaries of physical fitness, players must enjoy protection.
Professional sports is part of the entertainment business. Millions of fans purchase tickets or watch the Super Bowl live on television every year. More fans keep pace with the latest action from the world of soccer, following popular tournaments like the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League, and FIFA World Cup.
The leading players attract high wages, but we often forget the stress they put their bodies under during practice and competition.
Performing at optimal levels
Players require the most effective healthcare to keep them performing at optimal levels, but also the best protection from long-term injuries and damage. How do teams, managers, and the top governing bodies ensure the security of their prized assets? Keep reading as we explain more on this important issue. Our team of content writers investigates how tech is guarding the best players from long-term injury.
In this article, we focus on the most popular protection methods used by professional sports teams and their medical departments. The best-followed sports in the world today include football, soccer, and tennis, but the healthcare remains the same at all major clubs. Teams like the Buffalo Bills, Manchester City, and Red Bull F1 Racing have invested heavily in technology. The aim is to look beyond the short-term, passing the treatment of injuries and investigating how to avoid injuries happening in the first place.
Technology in healthcare at the highest level of professional sport focuses more on prevention than treatment. From helping to avoid repetitive stress in training to unnecessary injuries on matchday, tech leads the way. The methods used to protect football players and soccer stars are costly, meaning they're for the most cash-rich clubs.
However, how teams approach player safety at the top level always filters down through the leagues as equipment becomes more affordable. Keep reading to find out more.
Wearable technology
We start with one of the best examples of how far technology in sports has come in recent years: wearable tech. You'll see many examples of wearable tech in pro sports, from the training pitches to games, and it's a great way to track the progress of players and teams. From watches and bands to vests and shoes, there are dozens of ways coaches can track their player's efforts.
Most wearable technology is a source of information to help managers choose their best players while tracking the efforts of all in the squad during training. That data transfers to graphs, which are excellent in helping a coach pick his strongest players while encouraging those lagging to double their efforts if they want to feature in games. However, wearable technology has other uses, including protecting the health and safety of players.
Tech monitors how many yards a player runs in a game, session, or week. It also shows tackles, pass completion, and goals. This information is available to coaches at the touch of a button and is used to help guard players from burnout as a result of being overworked. Many injuries in sports stem from exhaustion or repetitive use, such as a golf swing or tennis backhand.
Injuries like tennis or golfers elbows are becoming a thing of the past, and that's not just in the professional ranks. Wearable tech is more affordable today than ever before, allowing professionals, amateurs, and hobbyists to enjoy the wonders of modern technology. Download an app to your device, wear a tracker, and monitor your running progress or efforts in the gym.
Biomechanical sensors
Another truly fascinating way technology is positively impacting sports is through biomechanical sensors, and it's a great example of modern tech. Injuries are almost certain in a professional sports career, meaning a team's health department must focus on prevention and rehabilitation. Tools including biomechanical sensors and motion-capture programs mean the sports science team can monitor an athlete's movements much better than they could do previously.
Using technology like sensors means the medical team and physiotherapists can use the data collected to help avoid injuries suffered in training by teaching better and safer habits. The coaches take this information on board and tailor an exercise program that targets weak areas, helping to build muscle and protection. Addressing imbalances and poor technique means players suffer fewer injuries and enjoy quicker recovery.
Other important technologies in this field include cryotherapy chambers and compression therapy. These forms of sports technology are still for the biggest and wealthiest clubs, but costs are coming down, and we predict they'll enter mainstream fitness within the next few years. Until then, cryotherapy and compression therapy help keep the best players at the peak of their powers.
Telemedicine
In the last year, the professional sports market has adopted cutting-edge telemedicine and remote monitoring to great effect. Athletes enjoy quicker access to the most trusted medical advice from anywhere in the world, which is ideal when teams are on tour or playing at international events.
Telemedicine means it's no longer necessary to travel with an entire medical team, as their expertise is always available. Players can now seek assistance and advice anytime while the medical team can track results remotely.
