{"id":57300,"date":"2017-03-30T07:15:40","date_gmt":"2017-03-30T11:15:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=57300"},"modified":"2021-05-14T03:57:58","modified_gmt":"2021-05-14T07:57:58","slug":"sports-science-tests-prevent-injury","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/sports-science-tests-prevent-injury\/","title":{"rendered":"The Sports Science Tests To Help You Stay Injury-Free"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The
Photo: Twenty20<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Imagine learning exactly how your muscles fire as you run. Whether one side activates more than the other \u2014 telling you the likelihood of future injuries<\/a>, where they might occur and what kind. Or, think about objectively learning your strengths and weaknesses in terms of acceleration, deceleration, balance and reaction time, as well as precise muscle imbalances<\/a>, and how to address them.<\/p>\n

These performance stats form the root of a growing sports science field, particularly at the NY Sports Science Lab<\/a> in Staten Island, NY. I recently visited the lab for a \u201cglobal assessment,\u201d a three-plus-hour process that includes nearly 10 different tests. These tests range from running with 3D motion-tracking sensors to brain games to jump force readings and balance checks.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>What Will (And Won\u2019t) Help Muscle Cramps, According to Research<\/a><\/p>\n

Sports Science: Getting to the Core of the Issues<\/h2>\n

“Tests range from running with 3D motion-tracking sensors to brain games to jump force readings and balance checks.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

You may have seen ESPN\u2019s Sports Science segments, where they test football players\u2019 reaction times, the velocity and speed of baseball players\u2019 swings, and basketball players\u2019 vertical jump height. That\u2019s basically what goes down at the NY Sports Science Lab. There, they have countless devices analyze how your body moves during a workout and how to make those movements more efficient<\/a>. The exception is that you don\u2019t need a million-dollar contract to reap the benefits of the science-backed knowledge.<\/p>\n

As a runner, I\u2019ve suffered plenty of injuries, especially while training for my first marathon<\/a> last fall. I\u2019ve had a few bouts of IT band syndrome<\/a> and tendinitis in my left hip. That’s not to mention the typical aches and pains lots of endurance athletes experience. According to Michael Greene, NY Sport Science Lab\u2019s head performance enhancement specialist, the center\u2019s main goal is not only to help athletes reach the top of their game, but also to address any underlying physical issues before they even turn into injuries. (Note to self: Stop in before<\/em> you start training.)<\/p>\n

Often times, Greene says, they can spot injuries just by checking out an athlete\u2019s feet and gait. \u201cFirst and foremost, if there\u2019s a structural issue and it\u2019s heavily affecting form throughout exercise, we work to get the knees, hips and core<\/a> properly aligned,\u201d Greene says. \u201cTypically, that involves exercises that strengthen the feet and ankle, and get that foot in the ideal position.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Want to Run Faster? Here\u2019s How to Do It<\/a><\/p>\n

\"The<\/h3>\n

The Assessment: Laps, Jumps, Drills, Oh My!<\/h3>\n

My day of movement analysis started at an indoor track, where the lab\u2019s team strapped and taped mini sensors to my arms, legs, glutes and my head. (Check the pic above for just how cool I looked.) These sensors are part of the 3D tests, where they take a close look at muscle activation during your specific sport. In my case, the sensors measured how my muscles fired as I started, maintained and ended a sprint, and while making turns around the track.<\/p>\n

The set-up took about an hour, which according to the lab folks, was pretty quick. They\u2019ve previously tested athletes where the sensors fly off due to the sheer force of their movements and crazy muscle capacity. So even if I wasn\u2019t going to impress the team with my strength<\/a> and agility, at least I had stable sensors going for me.<\/p>\n

After running back and forth a few times on the track and doing two full laps, I performed a few overhead squats, pistol squats<\/a> and a shoulder mobility test<\/a> to further check my range of motion<\/a>.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>5 Everyday Tasks That Reveal Low Mobility<\/a><\/p>\n

“We work to get the knees, hips and core properly aligned.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Next up, we headed back to the lab for a body composition screening to measure my lean muscle mass and body fat percentage<\/a> via bioelectrical impedance. (AKA a machine that sends electrical impulses through the body to see how quickly they return.) Then, I worked up a sweat with a video game-like activity that required running in different directions and stop-and-go drills \u2014 all to evaluate my acceleration, deceleration and lateral movements. I also worked through ground force testing, which involved me jumping<\/a> on a block with zero give, solidifying the fact that all five-foot-none of me has zero ups.<\/p>\n

The machine the team got most excited about was the functional isokinetic muscle test<\/a> \u2014 a sort of leg curl device that compared the strength and power of my right and left legs in both my quads and hamstrings. (More on that assessment below.)<\/p>\n

We wrapped up the day with a few brain tests that analyzed my hand-eye coordination, depth perception, multi-object tracking, target capture and more, plus a rhythm test. Greene mentioned the hand-eye coordination drills work especially well for boxers, while the rhythm device (which essentially involves clapping to a beat) has helped with social improvements in autistic children.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Mindfulness for Athlete: The Secret to Better Performance?<\/a><\/p>\n

The Results: Making Sense of Muscle Imbalances<\/h3>\n

After all that tracking, the scientists regrouped to pour over the data. They found one glaring problem with my mechanics: I\u2019m stronger on my right side compared to my left. And that uneven distribution \u2014 as Greene guessed \u2014 starts at my feet. Turns out, I pronate more on my left foot, causing my arch to flatten and putting more pressure on my knees and hips. (Hello, IT band aches and hip pain.)<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019d do simple exercises to build that mind-muscle connection and create force development on both sides.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As for my bodyweight exercises<\/a>, I did have a fairly even overhead squat, in terms of my knee and hip flexion. But I could certainly feel the difference between the two sides in the pistol squat and the sensors verified it. It showed less bend in my left knee and diminished flexibility in my left ankle. I now also know that ankle mobility is something I learned I need to work on, in general.<\/p>\n

The 3D running sensors also confirmed my left foot pronation, which causes more hip rotation and thus more impact on that side. More bad news: I didn\u2019t show optimal muscle activation during the turns on the track in my glutes<\/a>, hamstrings and calves \u2014 all needed for deceleration. (Who doesn\u2019t like slowing down on a run? Me, apparently.) My homework was to work on exercises that target my posterior chain. So I’ll be doing deadlifts<\/a> and clamshells and aiming to increase strength in my hip muscles, especially on my left side. (I did kind of rock the balance test though \u2014 score! I chalk that up to my cheerleading days.)<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>6 Butt Exercises Every Runner Should Be Doing<\/a><\/p>\n

What\u2019s Next: Building Mind-Muscle Connection<\/h3>\n

When chatting with Anthony Flask, CSCS, the lab\u2019s head strength and conditioning coach, he said the best workout Rx for someone like me \u2014 a runner with imbalances in her lower half \u2014 would include plyometric exercises<\/a> that focus on my weaker side. \u201cWe\u2019d do simple exercises to build that mind-muscle connection and create force development on both sides,\u201d he explains. \u201cIt\u2019s a matter of neuromuscular reeducation.\u201d And another reason the lab takes the psychological side of sports so seriously.<\/p>\n

The most important lesson I learned: Muscle imbalances can cause a slew of problems, particularly in amateur runners<\/a>. So if you want to find better balance in your own body, consider visiting a sports science lab to look at your entire kinetic chain. You’ll find out the disruptions in movement and get concrete feedback on how to handle it. (The machines can better track your progress.) If you\u2019re like me and feel like you\u2019re often running toward a new injury<\/a> \u2014 or even if you just want to break through a plateau or earn a new PR<\/a> \u2014 it\u2019s certainly worth a visit.<\/p>\n

The <\/em>NY Sports Science Lab<\/em><\/a>, located in Staten Island, offers free tours of their facility, plus one complimentary test. Full assessments start at $550. Check out their site for more details. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Pro athletes aren\u2019t the only ones who can benefit from sports science. Here’s what one writer learned about her strengths and muscle imbalances in the lab.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":57331,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,24,6,14],"tags":[209,288,289,144,108,341,361],"class_list":["post-57300","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cardio","category-exercise","category-fitness","category-strength-training","tag-athlete","tag-cardio","tag-exercise","tag-injury","tag-running","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2fitness-trends"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57300","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/51"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57300"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57300\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/57331"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57300"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57300"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57300"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}