Rugby is a contact sport where players wear very little protection. This improves their agility and speed but does open them to injury. Coaches and medical professionals have always debated on the proper way to protect players; how much can be done without changing the way the game is played? The answer, it seems, is in wearable technologies.
Image Source: bbc.co.uk
The initial aim of wearable technologies was to detect illnesses and symptomatic responses in patients with chronic conditions. These devices were plugged in a machine that kept track of these changes. Emergency personnel or family members were immediately alerted when there were dramatic shifts in patterns. Eventually, these technologies expanded for more general health purposes; body rhythms along with heart rates could be easily monitored. Many health-conscious individuals warmly received this development.
Image Source: bbc.co.uk
Then, scientists realized that these technologies could be used to detect potential injuries. When their first use was combined with gradual iterations, wearable devices were now being designed specifically for contact-intensive sports. One of the first sports to be tested was rugby. Players were fitted with customized devices that tracked heart rate and measured the amount of force being felt with each tackle or fall. If the pressure was deemed to be potentially dangerous, coaches were alerted. The player was then tagged for special observation. After two to four more of these dangerous tackles, coaches would be recommended to bench their player – even if there is no visible sign of injury. This is a preventive measure.
The technology still has to be further studied and experimented on, but many coaches are open to the change.
Brendan Triplett is an avid rugby enthusiast. For more rugby updates, subscribe to this Twitter account.
