10 Best Sports Medicine Technologies of 2018
There is no denying the fact that sports medicine and pretty much medicine in general is becoming more and more technology oriented. This is due to the benefits to be had by incorporating technology in both diagnosing and treating of sports injuries and much more as far as sports medicine is concerned. In 2018, there were a number of innovations as far as sports medicine and tech was concerned, and by taking into account certain parameters such creativity and innovation, cost effectiveness, usability, if it solves a given clinical problem if it has a long term significance to the treatment of injured athletes and if it has the potential to improve the standard of care, 10 of the very best sports medicine technologies of 2018 were awarded. This article will shine a spotlight on these sports medicine technologies.
The Carestream Onsight 3D Extremity System by Carestream Health was one of the sports medicine technologies of 2018. This system is very versatile and can work in a variety of clinical settings and be used on a number of orthopedic conditions such as joints, ankles, feet and on conditions such as arthritis, instability among others. Given it has a large-area detector, it is able to capture a 3D image of the patient in only a single rotation, taking up only 25 seconds. Couple this with its affordability and the fact that it delivers less radiation as opposed to traditional CT systems, it is no surprise it made it to this list.
The next entrant on this list is the Cobra Suture Passer by Stryker Corp. which was lauded for revolutionizing how arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs are done. The fact that it is made from a stainless-steel needle eliminates the need to keep on replacing the needle as it is reusable, with the stainless-steel aspect helping it avoid needle migration and breakages. It is also able to pass through calcified cuffs, with more on the same to be found over at frontlineer.com.
The ClearEdge Brain Health Toolkit by Quadrant Biosciences Inc. was yet another of the 10 best sports medicine technologies of 2018. The fascinating thing about this system is that it is one you can use to monitor brain health after a concussion, something quite common among athletes, with saliva. Subtle changes that occur after a concussion in things like cognitive function, patient symptoms and balance can be tracked by a saliva test using this system through the use of functional and epigenetic biomarkers. It is a system that should revolutionize treatment of concussions, especially in sports.
The next entrant into this list is the Frog-Skin by Brian Stewart. This, in a nutshell, is a form of therapy that treats soft tissue injuries by delivering cold therapy in a wrap. These kind of injuries are commonly due to extensive training or overuse, making this therapy quite popular with athletes and Navy Seals, as covered over at frontlineer.com. Frog-skin therapy wraps come in two types; Frog-Skin 43 and Frog-Skin 64, regulating skin temperature at 43 and 64 degrees Fahrenheit respectively, in order to cater for cold-sensitive patients and the materials and products are manufactured by non-toxic materials as well as being latex-free.
IncludeHealth Platform by IncludeHealth Inc. was yet another sports medicine technology that was feted as being among the top 10 in 2018. This is a platform that allows healthcare providers to browse through the cloud libraries provided, and come up with custom routines for their patients, routines aimed to aid in rehabilitation and fitness work of said patient. It is a great way for patients to access equipment for rehabilitation as well as making it more effective.
Next we’ll look at the Minimally Invasive Quad Tendon Harvest Set and FiberLoop with FiberTag Fixation by Arthex Inc. This is a system that provides a way to harvest a graft of desired length and diameter through only a small incision making it quicker and less invasive as compared to other systems used by surgeons performing cruciate ligament reconstruction, with more on it to be found over at frontlineer.com.
Next on the list is the Intelligent Medical Device Platform for Pain Management by iTrace Biomedical Inc. This is a portable device used to treat sports injuries by delivering cold, heat, wearable ultrasounds as well as transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation, otherwise known as TENS. Given that it is self-learning and it is connected to a cloud-based server, it means physicians can be able to access much more data that will come in handy in prescribing the best course of treatment for patients.
Next we will look at the KATOR Suture Anchor by KATOR LLC which is a repair system for rotator cuff repair as well as Achilles tendon reattachment procedures. What makes this system stand out is that it not only delivers the required secure suture patterns, it also makes use of only two anchors instead of four reducing both the anchor load and cost, with more on it to be found at frontlineer.com.
We will look at the Pivot Guardian Distractor System, yet another top innovation by Stryker Corp that was among the top 10sports medicine technologies of 2018. It is the first-ever post-free distraction system which means that groin complications and heel slip are reduced while also improving range of motion for those that have undergone hip arthroscopy. Patient outcomes are also improved by the fact this system boosts the visibility of the surgeons when carrying out the procedure.
The Missouri Osteochondral Preservation System is next on our list. It is an allograft that helps in preservation of donated cartilage, bone, ligament, meniscus and intervertebral discs during the period between disease testing and storage period that occur before transplantation is done. It was developed by the MTF foundation and it definitely deserved to be on this list.
Above are the 10 best sports medicine technologies of 2018, with more information about them including names of the inventors involved to be found over at frontlineer.com.
