Advances in technology have helped improve many elements of our lives. A wide range of industries and companies have benefited from a multitude of expert innovations and the medical industry is no different. Over the last decade, treatments have evolved drastically and we are now closer than ever before to finding the answers to debilitating illnesses and injuries. As the millions continue to pour into one of the nation’s favourite pastimes, football, we look at how technological developments are leading the way in the prevention of sporting injuries.
Back in 2002 at AC Milan’s Milan Lab, the clubs high tech interdisciplinary scientific research centre, Dr. Jean-Pierre Meerssmen’s introduced a special injury prevention system which focused on helping players prevent injuries and put the spotlight firmly on the health and well-being of each member of the squad. Incredibly, the system has helped drop non-traumatic injuries by 92% over the last decade which not only helps keep the team strong and match ready but it also has purported to have saved the Italian club millions.
The cost alone for a baseball player, for example, to be benched for a game -or worse still for an entire season due to a serious injury- can induce significant financial ramifications. So even though injury recovery is very important in order to get players back and fighting fit the prevention of injury is far more vital in order to help stop a potential issue becoming anything more serious.
Technology is assisting in the prevention of injuries by helping experts to better understand and capture data from an athlete. Wearable tech and other self-tracking devices give professional athletes and their clubs the ability to monitor, track and analyse a player’s health and fitness and then from these results better judge their ability to perform. Real-time results measured by these innovative devices can assist trainers and the medical staff in keeping a much closer eye on the players which in turn can assist in motivation and treatment for those who are most susceptible to potential injury.
With the pressure and media attention most big clubs are under, managers, owners and fans are constantly on football injury watch hoping their star assets are fit and ready to go so it’s reassuring to know that major advances in this field are cutting recovery times like never before. As for the future, more breakthroughs are likely to happen as investment and further research bodes well and one day, sports injuries may even become a thing of the past.