Athletes are the most healthy people in the world. However, they also pushed their bodies to the limit on a regular basis. Whether athletes are trying to be faster or stronger, or they just keep playing and exercising despite fatigue, they are muscular, joints and the whole body is overworked.

Outstanding sports science trends over the past few years include the use of analytics to prevent injuries, the use of new injury recovery systems, analyzing sweat and wearable technology.

Analysis to prevent injury

The risks of injury during exercise or sports are common. Many athletes suffered serious injuries that caused them to take a break for three months or longer. In fact, it is rare to see a professional athlete who does not have at least one or two serious injuries in his career.

An example of such technology has VU of Pivot. VU is a device that uses Pivot sensors to understand the body and performance in real-time. This technology is capable of analyzing athletes ‘grounding, cutting, sprinting and other movements to understand athletes’ performances and techniques.

VU can also be used to help athletes recover muscle or bone injuries when their movements are monitored and analyzed during each recovery step. By using such technology, teams and individuals can understand whether specific techniques cause injury or if they are only suffering from excessive fatigue or stress.

Injuries not only rob the athletes of time but also cost the team. Estimated player injury costs in four major European football leagues – Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga and Serie A – amounted to $ 100 million in 2015.

Therefore, sports teams and athletes want to use technology and data to help understand why athletes suffer from specific injuries and prevention.

Injury recovery system

Cryotherapy is an extremely popular method in sports and it is gaining a lot of attention in the past few years. The concept of cryotherapy is to expose parts of the body to freezing or near freezing temperatures. Although it is not the most interesting experience, especially for those who hate colds, it is said to help recover in the sports season.

Recovery from injury is not only about the body, but also the mind. Athletes with severe injuries, such as complete muscle tearing or fractures, may face mental obstacles when they prepare to return to training. Many teams begin to understand the mental and psychological impact of injury on athletes.