Sports injuries happen and are very common. But did you know AI can help predict and stop many of them? Let’s dive into how AI is changing the game for athletes!
The Basics Of Artificial Intelligence
First off, let’s start by knowing some basics:
Artificial Intelligence (AI): It’s a part of computer science that tries to make machines act smart like humans.
Sports Injury Prediction: It’s about using information to guess if a player might get hurt.
Why Do We Use AI To Predict Sports Injuries?
Injuries are painful and harmful for athletes. They can:
- Stop their careers.
- Cause health problems later.
- Make the team play worse.
The Special Olympics in Abu Dhabi made athlete health their top priority. Every athlete received a watch that sent health and location details to a central screen. This allowed medical teams to monitor them closely.
To make sense of this data, they used SAS AI technology. This tech predicted potential health issues, ensuring that medical help was always ready. Yousef Alhammadi, a key official from the 2019 Abu Dhabi Special Olympics, mentioned 1,529 medical incidents. Some, like seizures, were very serious. The technology played a crucial role, allowing for swift responses that, in some cases, were life-saving. So, predicting and stopping them is essential. That’s why we use AI.
Also, Read: The Role Of Stem Cells In Sports Rehabilitation
How Does AI Do This?
AI works by gathering massive amounts of information. It needs a lot of data. For guessing sports injuries, this information can be:
- Details about the player (tall, heavy, and old).
- How they play (how many games, how long each game).
- How they train.
- Past injuries.
Using Machine Learning
After getting the information, it goes into machine learning. Here the machine:
- Sees patterns in the information.
- Find out what might cause injuries.
- Guesses if injuries might happen later.
Researchers in sports science have found a fantastic way to predict when athletes might get hurt. They use machine learning (ML) to examine big data sets about how hard athletes work.
For example, soccer players can get hurt 2.5 to 9.4 times every 1,000 hours they play. About one-third of these injuries happen because they play too much. Researchers put special sensors on 26 soccer players in Italy to study this.
Over 23 weeks, they watched how far players ran, how fast they ran, and how often they sped up or slowed down. With ML, they could guess 80% of the injuries before they happened. Some injuries, like sprains, were even more accessible to guess.
The NFL is doing something similar. They use data to help decide how much players should train or play. After seeing how important it is to manage how hard players work, the NFL made rules about practice times. This led to 26% fewer leg injuries at the start of a season.
Learning All The Time And Picking Up Data
The good thing about AI is it keeps learning. When it gets more information, its predictions get:
- Better.
- More suited for each player.
- More trustworthy.
Best Things About Using AI For Sports Injuries
Being ready beforehand, Instead of just waiting for injuries, teams can:
- Guess them before they happen.
- Change how they train.
- Plan their games differently.
- Taking Care of Each Player
Taking Care Of Each Player
AI can make predictions for each player. This means:
- Training that suits each player.
- Rest times that each player needs.
- Ways to stop injuries for each player.
Cost-effective
Injuries cost money and can be expensive. They can cause:
- Doctor bills.
- Missing important players in big games.
- Teams feeling bad.
By predicting injuries, teams can avoid spending too much.
What’s The Future For AI And Sports Injuries?
The future is bright. As we get better tools, we might see:
- Using Wearable Tech: Players’ devices can give real-time details to make better guesses.
- Looking at Everything: AI might also consider players’ feelings and overall health.
- More Sports Using AI: Many small and big sports might use AI to guess injuries.
The Bottom Line
To sum up, Artificial intelligence is changing how we see sports injuries. By predicting, teams can be ready and keep players safe. Using tech and human thinking together can make sports safer and more fun.
