Athletes at the highest level take advantage of modern technologies to help them perform at their best. These players have access to state-of-the-art equipment, which helps collect data and improve the game. As you can imagine, with this, hundreds of hours go into developing a strategy that will enable players to play at their best.
The use of technology in sports medicine is relatively new. Previously, athletes were told to stretch, hydrate, and elevate before modern treatments like cryotherapy, electrostimulation pads, and infrared saunas were available. While there’s room for improvement, we will explore the four newest performance-enhancing gadgets for the National Football League. Before we proceed, here are some free NFL picks for you today.
Compression suits
On game day, Normatec is the only pneumatic compression suit that athletes pack in their duffels. Compression massage systems such as the Normatec suit work by having the user slide their arms, legs, or entire body into an inflatable sleeve that inflates with air and pulses in various patterns and intensities within five separate chambers. According to Gervais, a performance advisor for Hyperice, which acquired Normatec in March, the procedure is “intended to minimize soreness and provide oxygenation throughout the body.”
Some NFL players use the feeling to stretch out before practice, after a game, or both. It’s not just a massage simulation, though. The goal of compression is to reduce muscle fatigue and lactate accumulation, hence maximizing mobility.
Electrostimulation Pads
Professional athletes are big fans of the electrostimulation pad (also known as electric muscle stimulation or EMS) because it can promote recovery without additional activity, such as a 20-minute cool-down on an elliptical machine or different stretching calf-raising routines. Applying it before a workout has the same effect as a warm-up by preparing the muscles to handle the demands of the exercise.
To aid athletes (and anyone with chronic pain) in reducing inflammation and soreness and speeding up their recovery, device manufacturers like NuroKor use “peripheral nerve, microcurrent, and neuromuscular stimulation.” Some research has also confirmed this. Team athletes reported “much lower” levels of discomfort after using EMS, and they found the gadget convenient to use even while sleeping or on the go.
Massage Guns
Massage guns’ “vibration treatment” consists of beating specific muscles with rapid punches before or after a workout.
Various attachments and massage heads are available for use in hard-to-reach locations, and massage guns like Hyper ice’s Hypervolt and the widely used Theragun offer a variety of frequencies (how many percussion are delivered per minute) and depths (to target deep tissue muscles). Furthermore, the fast pressure bursts provided by massage guns stimulate the neurological system and hasten the warming-up and recovery processes. Videos of massage guns in slow motion have gone viral on social media because of their wave-like or ripple-like effect on the skin.
Percussive tools, such as massage guns, stimulate muscles, supplying them with enough oxygen and allowing them to release tension, in contrast to ice baths, which numb the area and inhibit blood flow. Once blood flow is unrestricted, essential nutrients can reach tired muscles and ease discomfort.
Cryotherapy
Not only do teams like the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs have cryo chambers in their health centers for their players, but cryotherapy is also popular among celebrities and professional athletes like LeBron James and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Plus, it doesn’t take long and is relatively easy to do: An athlete can keep their head at a comfortable temperature by jumping into a tube designed for one person. They may enter fully clothed or in their underwear but must wear extra socks and gloves for warmth. They are then exposed to liquid nitrogen and chilled air at -130 degrees Celsius for less than three minutes, rotating every 10 to 20 seconds.
Those who advocate for cryotherapy in sports medicine claim it can significantly reduce recovery time and repair injuries.
Many athletes still believe that getting a good night’s sleep is the best way to be ready for game day, although many new technologies and tools have been developed over the past decade to help athletes. Indeed, these athletes will change their opinions in a matter of time.