Smart Body Measurement Prevention in Competitive Sports

When it comes to prevention in sports, it is often about detecting and addressing asymmetries or imbalances in the body, such as leg length differences or pelvic obliquity, before they lead to discomfort or even injury. Here, the 3D body scan technology can be useful in three ways:

1. Identification of a potentially problematic asymmetry

3D body scans can be used to identify and evaluate asymmetries. More precisely, they allow to assess, for example, whether an asymmetry is a “malposition” that typically leads to certain complaints or increases the risk of injury. A major advantage of the full body scan in this respect is that it doesn't just show one part of the body, but rather the athlete is analyzed as a whole. This way asymmetries and muscular deficits in different areas can be seen, which is important as they sometimes reinforce or cause each other. As a result, all relevant muscle groups can be targeted and the compensatory training can be aligned accordingly.

2. Reaching the athlete

One advantage of 3D body scans that should not be underestimated is that the images can be utilized to show athletes that they have asymmetries and where they are located. This is a great help in getting the athlete on board and committed to the prevention process and the training that goes with it. Particularly in the area of prevention, when the athlete is not yet experiencing any discomfort, this “visible” proof is an important motivational factor. Naturally, it also improves the preventive measures' chances of success.

3. Evaluating the success of preventive measures

The fact that the 3D scans can be repeated quickly and easily and do not involve radiation or similar means that the effect of the preventive measures can be tracked continuously and effectively. For example, after 6 weeks of training, one can review how the body has changed during this time, how the compensation program works and, if so, to what extent. The 3D scans also show whether there is a need to follow up at any point or to adjust the training routine. This precise visualization of physical change is among the major advantages of the technology.

VITRONIC’s 3D body scan platform BodyLoop is one of the innovations in this field and provides the best possible data basis for keeping athletes healthy with individualized prevention measures. In addition to the precise individual scans, the simple reproducibility of the measurements is particularly crucial for this, as it allows regular reviews of the prevention performance.