What role do wearables play in this?
Löllgen: In my opinion, wearables play a very important role because the patient can see what he has done per day, depending on what kind of equipment he has. This is not only about checking whether the patients are really moving, but also how much. Younger patients in particular often overtax themselves. With wearables, the patient can directly see how much he has already done and stop when it is enough. But experience has shown that the tracking of pulse, step counting and the like diminishes over time. Of course, it is also the physician's task to ask questions again and remind the patients that they have something to orient themselves on. For example, I write to the patients that they should go for a 30-minute walk five times a week. They come back to my medical practice after about two to three months and report what they have done. This monitoring is very important. The amazing thing is that the patients themselves notice the positive effect and have a real sense of achievement that motivates them to continue. In general, I consider wearables to be a very important supporting measure.
You are involved in the conception of MEDICA MEDICINE & SPORTS CONFERENCE. Which current trends in sports medicine are reflected there?
Löllgen: These are just a few! A major trend is individualized or personalized sports medicine, and that goes hand in hand with the Exercise Prescription for Health. We are therefore in a position to offer the patient a tailor-made movement therapy – according to his individual performance. Another topic is the question of genetic consideration. We know, for example, that certain genetic combinations favour the success of movement therapy. We do not yet know all the genetic factors associated with this, but there is certainly still a lot to be expected in the future. Also of interest is the so-called preconditioning, i.e. physical training prior to surgery. Of course, this is only possible with elective procedures, not with emergency procedures. For example, patients who have a bypass operation in one or two weeks can train at a low level beforehand. As a result, they have fewer complications and are back on their feet faster after the surgery. This seems to really prove itself in some surgical subjects. In my opinion, sports medicine has enormous potential overall – especially if the neighbouring disciplines cooperate with sports medicine and sports medicine with the neighbouring disciplines.