In the United States, over 30 million children participate in organized sports. Unfortunately, injuries are a common occurrence when playing sports regularly. Each year, more than three and a half million kids are sidelined due to injuries. However, there is good news for young athletes: technology that was once reserved for professional athletes is now available to help kids improve their performance and prevent injuries.
One young athlete who has benefited from this technology is Quin Brigham, a high school baseball pitcher who has been playing baseball since he was just three years old. Despite experiencing pain while playing, Brigham persevered until he sought help. He utilized motion capture technology to identify the source of his discomfort.
Athletic trainer Dave Heidoff at Midwest Orthopedics at Rush Sports Performance Center uses 3D models to analyze the mechanics of Brigham’s throw. This technology allows them to identify areas of efficiency and inefficiency, which can impact throwing speed, increase injury risk, and overstress tissues. By measuring various joint angles, timing, stresses, velocity, strength, and balance, trainers can determine the effectiveness of their interventions in real-time.
After making adjustments to his throwing technique based on the technology’s feedback
