We’re venturing beyond the traditional boundaries of healthcare to explore how cutting-edge technology is being used to optimize athlete health and performance in professional soccer.
It may seem far-removed from more traditional clinical health settings, but the trends around leveraging data to personalize training and predict injury risks offer exciting parallels to the growing consumerization of health technology.
Our guest was Chris Shenberger, head of sports science and medicine for the Columbus Crew SC, who has helped spearhead the adoption of some of the most cutting edge health optimization techniques in pro sports.
Chris shared fascinating insights into how his team leverages data and analytics to:
- Create detailed physical profiles of what it takes to succeed in each position
- Match player attributes and biometrics to the team's specific playing style
- Personalize training plans to build the exact capabilities each athlete needs
- Monitor recovery and anticipate illness or injury risks
- Normalize fitness across players coming from leagues around the world
Chris sees exciting opportunities on the horizon as the use of technology and data analytics continues to evolve. From AI-powered insights to genetic testing for recovery optimization, the future of player performance is increasingly personalized and data-driven. "I think it continues to go one direction, where we're going to be able to individualize these guys’ programs, at a level that you've never been able to - or probably could have even imagined - that you could.”
As health technology continues to evolve into the hands of consumers, these lessons from elite sports offer an exciting glimpse into the future of proactive, hyper-personalized health optimization for all individuals.
Catch the full episode here:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3X4k2T3TQhO42cr37gMoFs?si=ad49fac5bdd9496c
https://podcasts.apple.com/th/podcast/product-in-healthtech/id1590043589
