Top Sports Hacks: Emerging Trends in Athletic Performance

It is no secret that technological innovations are currently applied when it comes to high-level sports training. Athletes have benefited from these advancements by targeting different aspects of athletic performance, including sport-specific training, nutrition, psychology, recovery and post-injury rehabilitation. Whether you are a professional athlete or a sports hobbyist, this article lets you in to the latest trends in Sports and how they can help bring about your A-game.

Platelet-Rich Plasma

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a high concentration of growth factors & cytokines released by platelets to augment the natural healing process. Blood is collected from the patient and processed. The plasma is injected into the treatment area in a clinic or surgical procedure. Some use ultrasound to guide the injection.

The use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions has become more prevalent in recent years. Current literature has exhibited that PRP injections are relatively safe and can potentially accelerate or augment the soft tissue healing process.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27552452/

Whole Body Cryotherapy

Whole body cryotherapy (WBC) is a short, full body exposure to dry air at cryogenic temperatures of -110⁰ to -140⁰ C for two to four minutes, in a cryochamber cooled by liquid nitrogen which fluxes through pipes inside the chamber’s wall.

Currently, whole-body cryotherapy is a medical physical modality popularly used in sports medicine. Athletes employ WBC for accelerated recovery from traumatic and stress injuries, and after-season rehab. Most recent studies have shown the anti-inflammatory, anti-analgesic, and anti-oxidant effects of this therapy including a decrease in cortisol levels (the stress hormone), while increasing the body’s testosterone secretion.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5411446/

Digital-enabled Training Models

The past couple of years saw a drastic shift toward digital fitness, driven by physical-distancing and stay-at-home requirements. Digital training platforms won’t fully replace traditional exercise sessions but rather will enhance them by offering an engaging simulated scenario for the athlete.

Virtual Reality technology allows athletes to train specifically by creating content or gameplays relevant to a particular sport, and then provide an immersive experience to an athlete off the ground.

This also helps athletes to train longer and without the risk of injury.  More importantly, athletes can train their mind to react to multiple scenarios and practice how they would respond when on ground. Can you imagine being able to train specific muscle groups and master certain moves to counter your rival’s advances? Strategy-wise, Virtual Reality training also helps sports players to analyze the techniques of their opponents effectively and practice how they would respond in a game.

https://rua.ua.es/dspace/bitstream/10045/94854/6/JHSE_2020_15-3_06.pdf

HGH Therapy

Athletes and game enthusiasts are aware that HGH is banned for its performance-enhancing effects in the world of Professional Sports. Having said that, it would be a great disservice to the fitness industry if I didn’t point out the potency and efficiency of an HGH course in the treatment of sports injuries.

Let’s pull it out from the shadows of skepticism for a bit, and look at what research studies are discovering. HGH’s positive effects in terms of shredding fat and increasing lean muscle mass is well-established.

But what is really phenomenal is the efficacious results of HGH administration on test subjects undergoing rehab therapies due to Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries. Test group showed improved quadriceps strength and prevention of muscle atrophy (wasting) through IGF-1 signalling.

The real question stands, as an athlete -- pro, amateur, or leisure, would you deny yourself the prospect of a more rapid healing and less disability from an injury just because some people misuse this drug for sports performance?