Occurrence of injuries in sports
Here in Wisconsin, spring sports are getting to the start of their season for 2023. Players from 10U-18U are getting into the swing of the season with games being played throughout the week as well as on weekends. With this increase in in-game activities, it is natural, though unfortunate, to see an increase in injuries among athletes. These injuries can happen to any player on the field. This blog will focus primarily on the technology I like to use. I can assess, manage and treat any injury or impairment a player may have who I see during the course of the season. Learn more about how high tech baseball is changing the game.
Technology
There are vast treatment methods and options to be able to use to help give players the best possible treatment and outcomes when rehabilitating any injury type they may have. From myofascial self-release balls to instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization tools, there are many different options that are available to clinicians to help better assist with treating athletes who have injuries. One of the best technology tools I like using to treat throwers that assist with both my assessment of injuries, management of injuries as well as a guide for the treatment of injuries is ProPlayer AI. This is an app developed that can take video recordings and produce both live video feeds as well as biomechanical feedback to break down a thrower’s throwing motion itself.
Above is a picture of what the software looks like:
Assessment of the Pitcher
First, I like to go through a thorough subjective history with patients to have a better understanding of the method of injury and when pain levels increase. I also look at what the patient had done prior to injury in regard to both a strength program and a throwing program. After this, I prefer to go through a general mobility assessment of patients in both a passive and dynamic capacity before using this technology software to assess what may be contributing to the increase in pain. More often than not, athletes’ subjective history and objective measures before using this software will point in the correct direction of injury. After using this software to break down throwing mechanics, this software allows me as a clinician to confirm with objective data, the insufficiencies of the throwing motion itself.
Software
This software also allows for data to be used to track progress and to compare the patient over extended periods of time. I like to use this software every few weeks as a check-in point to compare the patient’s changes that we were able to see during the initial assessment video and compare them to the current time period. This also provides an objective way to track progress and for players to see and feel the changes they can make. The ultimate goal of this technology is to help assist in ensuring patients can stay on the field and not stay in a rehab clinic.
This was a brief introduction to the technology that I like to use as a physical therapist who is very passionate about the overhead athlete. This technology can also be used with the athletic individual who is looking to maximize their own potential whether it be to increase their throwing velocity or be able to run their first 5k. My goal as a doctor of physical therapy is to help each patient reach their own individual goals, whatever they choose those to be.
Fore more information, check out our throwing specialists