New technologies in sports: from injury prevention to sports management
26.06.2024
Athletes are under great pressure to consistently deliver top performance. Technological aids are increasingly being used to support them in this. Artificial intelligence (AI) in particular shows great potential to change sports in the long term and effectively support athletes.
On the move at MEDICA 2023 – PHYSIO TECH highlight tour
15.11.2023
PHYSIO TECH is one of the five Spheres of MEDICA. Here, visitors will find products and exhibitors relating to physiotherapy, rehabilitation and sport – in other words, everything that keeps people fit and moving. But this topic is no longer about colorful training aids made of plastic or rubber; smart applications and robotics have long since found their way here too.
Rehabilitation through specialized treadmill technology – WOODWAY
14.11.2023
WOODWAY, a leader in treadmill innovation for medical rehabilitation, brings over 40 years of expertise to MEDICA 2023. They consistently deliver tailored, state-of-the-art solutions for optimal fitness and rehabilitation results. In our interview, discover WOODWAY's specialized equipment and their unique treadmill technology.
University of Jyväskylä
Cerebral Palsy: multicomponent exercise improves physical functioning in children and young adults
13.10.2023
A new study carried out at the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, found that an individually tailored exercise program improves motor function, muscle strength and joint mobility in children and young adults with CP.
TU Dresden
Sensor and software to promote office staff’s physical activity
11.10.2023
TU Dresden researchers have analyzed the mechanics of office chairs and developed a sensor that, in combination with a dedicated software, can in the future help employees move more and more consciously during office work.
National University of Singapore
Weekly magnetic muscle therapy improves mobility and lean body mass in older adults
30.05.2023
A decline in functional mobility, loss of muscle strength and an increase in body fats are often associated with ageing. This trend could potentially be reversed by way of an innovative magnetic muscle therapy pioneered by researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS).
bialasiewicz
Physical activity crucial for poststroke recovery
05.05.2023
After a stroke, physical activity can be pivotal to successful recovery. People who spend four hours a week exercising after their stroke achieve better functional recovery within six months than those who do not, a University of Gothenburg study shows.
Messe Düsseldorf
3D Motion Analysis: Postural patterns in patients with hemophilia
27.04.2023
Usually, the solutions for monitoring heart failure are implantable and thus come with the risks of surgery. A research project has now developed a noninvasive solution based on sensor technology integrated into a wearable belt.
Marco Binelli / ETH Zürich
3D-printed insoles measure sole pressure directly in the shoe
24.03.2023
Researchers at ETH Zurich, Empa and EPFL are developing a 3D-printed insole with integrated sensors that allows the pressure of the sole to be measured in the shoe and thus during any activity.
Tima Miroshnichenko, Pexels
Digital tools make physical exercise programmes more effective and easier to stick with
23.03.2023
Physical exercise programmes tend to be more effective and easier to stick with when they have been prescribed via mobile digital devices rather than in person or without technological support.
microgen
Poor balance may indicate changes in brain volume
06.03.2023
In a study recently published in Gait & Posture, researchers from the University of Tsukuba have revealed that the volume of the hippocampus is correlated with a measure of balance ability in healthy older people.
Thor Balkhed/Linköping University
Adverse muscle composition associated with increased mortality risk in people with fatty liver disease
01.03.2023
Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle contribute to an increasing number of people developing fatty liver disease. There is a need for early detection of individuals at risk of developing sequelae.
LightFieldStudios
Balance ability predicts cognitive impairment
28.02.2023
In a study recently published in BMC Geriatrics, researchers from the University of Tsukuba have revealed a new measure of physical balance that could help to identify individuals who are at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD).
Wavebreakmedia
Muscles and nervous system: Space research helps combat degeneration
30.01.2023
Injuries do not just happen to athletes: along with surgeries, they are often the reason for prolonged bed rest. Meanwhile, extended physical inactivity can trigger changes in muscles and the nervous system. Sports medicine wants to counteract these negative effects and use insights from space research in the future.
Booyabazooka
Mechanical stimulation could be used to prevent falls and strengthen muscles
24.01.2023
Mechanical vibrations could help improve our muscles and our balance control, according to research at Aston University. Researchers in the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences have examined the effect of stimulation on muscle spindles which ‘speak’ to the central nervous system to help keep us upright and walk straight.
Osaka Metropolitan University
Total knee arthroplasty: Faster knee for better walking
19.01.2023
Osaka Metropolitan University scientists have revealed that knee extension velocity while seated is a stronger predictor of walking performance than muscle strength in elderly patients after their total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery.
Devices to wear today – Highlight tour at WT | Wearable Technologies Show
15.11.2022
Small and large, visible and invisible, for pain relief, for monitoring chronic diseases or as a support in everyday life – wearables come in many forms today. At MEDICA, the WT | Wearable Technologies Show has established itself as a joint stand for exhibitors from this sector. We talked to some of them on our tour.
Virtual treatment relieves therapists – Gamification for a successful therapy
08.08.2022
Immerse yourself into strange worlds, solve tasks, experience adventures – computer games look especially realistic in Virtual Reality. Medicine is also making good use of virtual worlds: With CUREO, the CUREosity GmbH from Düsseldorf has developed a VR system for physiotherapy and Ergotherapy.
sportpoint74
Technology in sports – the importance of striking the right balance between unlimited power and powerlessness
08.06.2022
Wearables, smart textiles, or the oft-cited video assistant referee – technology has become an integral part of the professional sports world. But what happens when technology gains the upper hand?
ZHAW Departement Gesundheit, Bewegungslabor
Rehabilitation after sports injury: Gamification of exercises in the ExerCube
01.06.2022
Returning to a sport after injury can be demanding and arduous as athletes often need to undergo lengthy rehabilitation. Yet even after they have physically recovered from their injury, some may experience mental issues that can make it difficult to return to play and competition. Exercises that combine physical and mental training and challenges in a game setting can be an effective solution.
prostooleh
Fighting monotony with apps: Exergames in physiotherapy
01.06.2022
Gamification has long since made its way into modern physical therapy. Games make it easy for people of all ages to enjoy their exercises. And that in turn contributes to the success of therapy – whether after a sports injury or in exercise therapy for children. Find out more in our Topic of the Month.
Prostock-studio
Exergames: leveraging the fun of games to support therapy
01.06.2022
Some patients need physiotherapy after suffering an injury, but the process can be tough and tedious. Depending on the indication, this may necessitate multiple treatment sessions that can span several weeks. Added to this are therapy exercises patients should do at home. The amount of training and repetitions can make it difficult to stay engaged. Gamification in therapy can boost motivation.
Mysterious patterns – Infrared thermography for sports medicine performance diagnostics
07.01.2022
Using a high-resolution infrared camera, sports scientists from the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz have discovered how blood flow in the human skin changes during exercise. They now want to exactly quantify these changes with machine vision and thus gain knowledge for performance diagnostics and beyond.
KAUST; Olga Kasimova
Fitness sensor warns when you're at your limits
04.01.2022
Wearable device alerts users about muscle fatigue by monitoring pH levels of sweat. Ultrathin nanomaterials, known as MXenes, are poised to make it easier to monitor a person’s well-being by analyzing their perspiration.
Sports medicine & physiotherapy: from training equipment to playful rehabilitation
16.11.2021
Sports medicine and physiotherapy involve many different types of equipment - from cardiovascular training to joint mobilization and playful rehabilitation. You can get an insight into the different products in our photo gallery from MEDICA 2021.
PantherMedia/ArturVerkhovetskiy
Identifying risks before surgery - with simple means
08.10.2021
Risks during surgery, especially cardiological risks, are still very high in the Western world. However, conventional methods for measuring such risks before surgery are costly or even not always meaningful. And increasing economization in hospitals also makes it more difficult for staff to find time for a comprehensive pre-op analysis.
PantherMedia/Andriy Pipov
Everyday physical activity: out of shape thanks to the Corona pandemic?
22.09.2021
Social distancing, working from home, limited social activities: the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted many people to become more inactive, sedentary, and therefore more susceptible to ailments. Simple fitness programs and regular exercises can help counteract the negative effects of inertness. And paradoxical as it may sound, the pandemic also gives us the chance to get moving again.
PantherMedia/Lighthunter
Rehab device enables stroke patients with arm disabilities to do more physical training
02.09.2021
The GribAble device, created by researchers at Imperial College London and clinicians at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, consists of a lightweight electronic handgrip that interacts wirelessly with a standard PC tablet to enable the user to play arm-training games.
Wearables: smart helpers in sports medicine
01.09.2021
Heart rate monitoring, step-counting, sleep tracking: Wearable technologies keep evolving, offering more and more useful applications. Usually worn close to and/or on the surface of the skin, they are equipped with special sensors to detect and analyze information concerning physical signals or ambient data. This allows wearers to get immediate biofeedback.
Robert Bosch GmbH
Avoid injuries, improve training – with self-learning sensors
01.09.2021
Artificial intelligence, sensors, wearables: they all collect and process data from their wearers. They are particularly popular in sports, because users no longer have to rely on their intuition, but can optimise their training based on sober, exact data. However, wearables are often criticized for being not only practical gadgets but also data krakens.
More than trendy accessories: training optimization with the help of wearables
01.09.2021
Wearables are increasingly being used in sports medicine, for example, to prevent injuries or to provide users individually with real-time data about their fitness and health. By analyzing this data, risks for sports injuries can be identified early and training can be customized to the user's needs and goals.
PantherMedia/Sorapop Udomsri
Motion analysis: wearable sensors versus laboratory
17.03.2021
In professional sports, motion analysis helps improve an athlete's performance and avoid injury. The process is complex and therefore conducted in dedicated laboratories. At the virtual MEDICA MEDICINE + SPORTS CONFERENCE 2020, Prof. Stephan Odenwald explained how motion analysis could become more widely accessible in the future thanks to mobile, wearable sensors.
PantherMedia / Viktor Cap
Sports medicine software: Monitoring at the push of a button
22.05.2020
Athletes not only have to be fit and stay in shape, but they also have to achieve peak performance, especially when they get ready for athletic events. Optimized and individualized performance training requires data from external laboratories and institutes. The [i/med] Sports platform from DORNER Health IT Solutions provides a complete workflow − from anamnesis to diagnostic report.
panthermedia.net/vitalikradko
Sports Hub project changes sports medicine with big data and AI
22.10.2019
Professor Jarek Krajewski sat down for a MEDICA interview and delivered a detailed description of the Sports Hub project. It highlights how big data and AI transform the world of sports medicine. The project delivers new insights and provides a versatile database.
panthermedia.net/Daxiao Productions
Triathlete Sebastian Kienle: wearables and body awareness improve athletic performance
09.09.2019
A 2.4-mile (3.86 km) swim, a 112-mile (180.25 km) bicycle ride and a marathon 26.22-mile (42.20 km) run – that’s the Ironman Triathlon. Triathletes like Sebastian Kienle are constantly working to push beyond their limits. At the 7th MEDICA MEDICINE + SPORTS CONFERENCE on November 20 - 21, you can meet Kienle in person.
Sports medicine: Neuromuscular training for optimal performance
20.08.2019
Movement, strength and coordination - after injuries as well as in healthy athletes, these three components must be intact for movements to run smoothly. At the Beta Klinik in Bonn, Dr. Markus Klingenberg, a specialist in orthopaedics, trauma surgery and sports medicine, offers neuromuscular training with a playful character that can be adapted to the patient's needs.
Training partner robot – This is the rehabilitation of the future
16.08.2019
In medicine, robots are already taking over tasks that only a few years ago were exclusively in human hands. Especially in the field of rehabilitation, they will play a major role in the future. In the "RoSylerNT" project of the German Sport University Cologne, a robot arm from KUKA is being used here for training purposes. Find out why a robot is the right training partner!
Sports medicine – keep moving to stay healthy
01.07.2019
Physical activity plays a big role in today's society. Whether you are an amateur or professional athlete – incorporating exercise into your life positively impacts your mental and physical health. Ideally, sport should be fun, pressure-free and not overburden you. But can you measure individual performance and align it with sports?
Training and rehabilitation: fit thanks to hover technology
01.07.2019
Amateur and professional athletes are susceptible to sports injuries, balance disorders or deficits in motor function and posture. Prevention and the right training can help avoid these incidents, while targeted therapy can support a return to sports after an injury.
All-round care for COPD: diagnosis, treatment, self-management
01.03.2019
COPD affects more than 200 million people in the world. Those affected by this chronic pulmonary disease are often slow to notice the symptoms and get a medical diagnosis. This results in secondary complications and high medical costs. That's why an early diagnosis, comprehensive treatment, and frequent monitoring are very important. Various devices and tools support this all-round care.