The Health technology It goes beyond a sophisticated diagnostic device or powerful medical equipment in a hospital There are other less obvious situations, such as a running track, basketball court or soccer field. As this technology plays an increasingly relevant role in elite sport and high competition, it is not surprising that it is the “culprit”. Prevent serious injuries, reduce recovery time, improve performance, monitor health parameters in real time… In short, technology to live – one of the mottos of the Spanish health technology company Fenin – but in this case technology to compete.
The last Roland Garros, hosted by Rafa Nadal in 2022, was a great example of what health technology can do at the top tournament, as the tennis player was unable to set foot on the court after 48 hours. . Explanation? During the tournament, Nadal underwent periodic pulsatile radiofrequency therapy for his leg problems, which allowed him to play in matches. The case of the highly successful Spanish athlete may have been the most discussed in the media, a reflection of the growing importance of health technology in professional sports before, during and after competition. “General health technology and specific technology aimed at high-level sports have gained increasing importance and applicability in recent times with a dual orientation: one part towards sports health and the other to control and monitor athletes' performance. and validation. of results”, affirms. Miguel del Valle SotoProfessor of Medicine at the University of Oviedo and President of the Spanish Society of Sports Medicine (Semed/Femede).
From treatment to prevention
Pilar Navarro, innovation director at Fenin, said, “It is impossible to imagine a day without health technology in hospitals, but also in people's daily lives, whether professional or leisure, in activities such as sports.” Historically used for sports In the treatment and recovery from injuries, health technology is increasingly used to prevent potential risks, reduce recovery time, or anticipate potential health problems for the athlete.
For example, the use of wearable and smart devices in professional sports has already been established “It can not only measure the heart rate, but also detect arrhythmias and other heart diseases”, insists Dr. del Valle Soto, “high health technology” which is very important when recovering from certain injuries such as bone, tendon or ligament. effective, but it is increasingly used in the prevention of many pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.”
A good example of this 3D cameras have been used in elite athleticsAs they are “Capable of analyzing runners' gait, tracking their footwork more precisely and designing insoles that compensate for foot deformities, avoiding a large number of secondary injuries”Dr. Del Valle points to Soto.
There are many examples of the impact of health technology on competition in the beautiful sport of our country, as the Real Madrid Biomechanics service produced a high modulus carbon fiber mask in just 48 hours. Antonio Ruediger Even though he had 20 stitches in his head two days ago, he played the next match without any risk. The process was described on the club's social networks Victor Alfaro, podiatrist and biomechanics expert at Real Madrid: «First, we scan the player's head in 3D. Once you get that picture, We designed a high modulus carbon fiber asymmetric mask It contacted the uninjured areas of the face and protected the injured areas leaving a gap,” this expert explained.
Paralympic Games
But if there's one area where Binomial health technology and sport are proving to be fundamental, it's in Paralympic sport, where certain disciplines or methods of training cannot be understood without the use of artificial limbs or devices to assist the athlete. He is well aware of it Terry RibOne of the most successful Spanish Paralympic athletes, she was forced to retire after an injury (broken tibia and fibula) in 2015 and subsequent medical negligence. Cut off his leg. Since then, the use of artificial limbs has not only made his personal life easier, but also allowed him to continue his sports training at a high level. Paris 2024 is already gearing up for the event. The same prosthetic device that Vila uses in her personal life, she lists, “practice other sports like surfing, snowboarding…” About sports prostheses, it highlights how athletic models are constantly evolving and allowing for improved performance. In fact, technology is increasingly available High Performance Centers for Competition Preparation; “We train with technologies that allow us to measure effort, speed, impact on the trail and useful parameters for performance,” the athlete explains.
Where does the future lie? “Due to the innovative nature of our industry, nothing is expendable. We always remember that health technology can be the answer wherever there is an unmet need, not just in the healthcare sector,” says Fenin's innovation director.
Base on unknown games
The technology is also expanding into many lesser-known Paralympic disciplines. This is the case Adapted shooting, where technology “allows” blind or visually impaired people to practice target play. To practice it, a compressed air rifle equipped with a special telescopic sight is used, which is connected to an electronic circuit that converts light into sound. Depending on the intensity of the light at the target, a tone of higher or lower intensity is emitted. The binocular vision collects the reflection of light from the target. This way the shooter can “hear” the “assistance” on the target over the headphones used.
