The History and Current Use of Sports Science Technology
Technology, as a whole, has made the world we live in today what it is. The technological progress in Sports Sciences technological development has significantly impacted sports science, affecting the viewing of injuries and their treatment methods and including this topic in rehabilitation practices. Throughout technology and its advancement, physical therapists have used more effective methods of care through these devices. In this article, we will talk about the sports science technology used and evolved over time in sports sciences which directly affects physical therapy.
1. Wearable Technology
Wearable technology (Mohr, 2020) such as smartwatches, fitness bands, and wearables use motion detection through gyroscope to perform specific functionality. But the beauty of a wearable is that it can provide you with real-time information, your heart rate, and track "load" or instead work done during an activity. It is also good for an athlete to know how much they are using during that event, and you can log this in prior games as well, so it gives some information on how much work they are doing in relation to their energy levels.
Wearable tech provides physical therapists with key information about the load monitoring and physiological demands an athlete endures during training and competition. This data could help them create unique rehabilitation programs, monitor their progress, and determine when it is safe for an athlete to return to play.
2. Motion Capture & Biomechanics
Motion capture technology was once used exclusively in the production of video games and Hollywood special effects; however, it has become increasingly important as a scientific tool for sports science. Using high-speed cameras and sophisticated software, motion capture systems can scrutinize every movement even elite athletes make with pinpoint precision. This can be done in three-denominational video feedback and recording (Menolotto, 2020). This technology is used to help physical therapists diagnose biomechanical flaws that may lead to injuries.
This type of testing allows therapists to work through a biomechanical analysis and better determine the cause of injury so they can direct their intervention specifically toward that issue. For instance, if an inspection shows that a runner puts excessive pressure on the knees due to an incorrect gait style. In such a situation, the services of a physical therapist can prescribe exercises to address gait so that it is improved and not susceptible to further injury. Motion capture is used by many biomechanics to aid in research for the field's growth and advancement.
3. Remote Monitoring and Telehealth
The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred telehealth growth in a variety of clinical settings, including physical therapy. Thanks to telehealth, physical therapists are able to perform consultations remotely and have capabilities for virtual assessments that ensure their patients get good guidance on how they can manage rehabilitation activities while at home. This has the added benefit not only of increasing availability but also maintaining care during times that prevent in-person visits.
Wearable technology and mobile apps make remote monitoring possible, allowing therapists to check in on their patients with updates when they are not together. Patients may then log their exercises, pain scales and pertinent notes that therapists can view to tweak treatment plans.
4. Advanced Imaging Techniques
Improvements in imaging modalities, with MRI and ultrasound gaining the greatest traction for injury assessment due to their ability to accurately diagnose these conditions. The detail one can see in soft tissues, muscles, and joints with high-resolution imaging provides physical therapists the ability to create a specific treatment plan. For instance, dynamic ultrasound imaging can visualize muscles and tendons on the move showing how an injury is impacting function and movement.
Monitoring healing and symptoms, Guiding treatments, and titrating them as necessary. These advanced imaging techniques also help monitor the progress of healing to affirm that a given treatment is doing its job or informing us if it needs adjustment.
5. AI and ML
AI and machine learning are being used to find new methods for sports science- this can be great when we use it as a means of injury prevention/rehabilitating injuries. Sports medicine teams can use AI algorithms to analyze large data sets, looking for correlations between an athlete's performance and their health in order to identify patterns in the data that suggest potential injury risks. This predictive power allows physical therapists to identify at-risk individuals and intervene prior, by tailoring specific strategies for each athlete.
Rehabilitation programs to treat patients can be designed more effectively with the help of machine-learning models that learn from patient outcomes, and continuously optimize treatment plans. These intelligent systems equip physical therapists with top-quality, data-driven directions for care.
6. Strength / Performance Equipment
One of the most common commercial technologies outside wearable tech measures an athlete's strength and performance metrics using equipment. This includes the use of a dynamometer whether as small handheld devices or something much bigger that you would sit down on. And there are tools that can be carried to practice fields and facilities as VALD equipment. One of these is force decks that supplant the utilization of a force plate, force frame replacing a dynamometer or packable cameras. The ideal use cases for these are longitudinal athlete testing in order to identify neuromuscular performance deficits and monitoring balance, jump capacity or simply strength pre-, during- as well post-season.
Conclusion
Recent creations in Sports Science Technology have started to revolutionize the face of Physical Therapy. From wearable tech and motion capture to AI, these are shaping the way injuries will be diagnosed, treated, and prevented by physical therapists working in sports. Utilizing these technologies helps physical therapists to deliver individualized, efficient, and evidence-based care that speeds up the recovery process while improving athletic performance.
The future of sports science and physical therapy is bright as technology continues to further develop. Keeping up with these changes and incorporating them into practice will be highly relevant for physical therapists wanting to provide their patients the best possible care.
References
Bassani, J. W. M., & Sacco, I. C. N. ( 2021 ). Early injury risk detection in sports: Physiological and biomechanical monitors - a narrative review of available options. European Journal of Sport Science, 21(5), pp.
Gronwald, T., & Merkle M. (2020). Performance and recovery monitoring wearables in sports. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 34(3), pp.590-600.
LeBrasseur, N. K., Tchkonia, T., and Kirkland, J. L.: Cellular senescence and the biology of aging: effects on e you age, you age), 2004 - Implications for human health (1997). Cellular Senescence and the Biology of Aging, Disease and Frailty Geriatrics, 1(1), 1-10.
Menolotto M, Komaris DS, Tedesco S, O'Flynn B, Walsh M. Motion Capture Technology in Industrial Applications: A Systematic Review. Sensors (Basel). 2020 Oct 5;20(19):5687. doi: 10.3390/s20195687. PMID: 33028042; PMCID: PMC7583783.
Mohr M., Akubat I & Drust B 2020 How Wearable Technology is Reshaping Sports Sports Medicine, 50(5), pp.1025-1040
Sasha Birge – Physical Therapist, ATC, CSCS at VALD. Understanding the Plyometric Continuum with ForceDecks_News & AnnouncementsSep 07, 2023.https://valdperformance.com/news/understanding-the-plyometric-continuum-with-forcedecks
Written by Vanessa Taylor, Olympia Director of Performance Testing