Competitive swimmers who want to monitor their technique or patients who need to heal muscle injuries may soon have access to a new light-based tool that can help them achieve their goals. An article from scientists at the University of Essex have written about a tool that measures “muscle oxygenation underwater.”
The technoaserogy uses an underwater near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to measure the oxygenation of the muscles in the swimmers or patients. The benefit of this technology is that it will allow physical therapists and trainers to optimize the rehabilitation benefits of water based therapies for clients. Through the use of the spectroscopy, researchers believe they have uncovered a way to identify a way to track “unique chemical signatures” based on how the muscle tissue interacts with light waves. The light waves’ absorption, reflection, refraction and other wavelengths will be captured and measured to provide therapists with valuable information for patients’ wellbeing and competitive swimmers’ training methods.
This technology, that uses NIR light waves, is currently used in sensors for chemical quality control and in medical diagnostics for oxygen analysis and blood sugar measurements. NIR technology also monitors nerve and brain function.
The advances in this technology include wireless, telemetric and wearable devices that allow for real-time monitoring of patients and athletes in a wide variety of sports. Many of the devices on the market today are not waterproof so are unable to be used by swimmers. Researchers are in the midst of designing devices that will be wearable by those in the water as a way to provide them with feedback on whether their muscles are being sufficiently oxygenated during training and treatments. Sufficient oxygen means swimmers will be better able to sustain a strong performance.
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