Sports Medicine Innovation and Technology
At University Hospitals Drusinsky Sports Medicine Institute and the UH Haslam Sports Innovation Center, we are dedicated to advancing sports medicine technologies that promote healthier athletes and communities. Our team of physicians, physical therapists and performance coaches are at the forefront of integrating cutting-edge sports technologies, ensuring athletes stay healthy, safe and perform at their best.
Make an Appointment with a UH Sports Medicine Expert
For more information or to schedule an appointment with one of our sports medicine experts, call 216-983-7529.
Sports Performance Technology
UH Drusinsky Sports Medicine Institute physicians, physical therapists and the coaches at T3 Performance work collaboratively to evaluate athletes to maximize performance and help prevent injuries. Our goal is to bridge the gap between performance training and physical therapy, helping athletes recover better after injuries and preventing future injuries.
During the evaluation process, our team assesses areas such as strength, speed and functional movement. Technologies used to assist our team in evaluating athletes include:
- Teambuildr: An online strength and conditioning program that helps ensure athletes are receiving age appropriate, individualized training program.
- Vald Testing Stack, including Smart Speed Plus: Tests athletes’ acceleration and top end speed.
- Force Decks: Tests explosive power outputs, reactive strength index, and to monitor any asymmetries they may have in producing force in the lower extremities.
- Nordboard and Force Frame: Tests hip, hamstring and shoulder strength to ensure there are no weaknesses or imbalances.
- Pro-Screen AI for a KAMS movement assessment: This functional movement screening uses lidar technology and AI assistance. It gives an athlete information on how well they move, highlight immobility and prescribe exercises to help improve in areas that score below average.
Athlete Data Scorecard
The Athlete Data Scorecard translates the assessment results into a report card that shares an athlete’s strengths and weaknesses. This identifies what they need to work on to improve their performance and how they compare with their peers.
In the T3 Performance Athlete Training Program, we evaluate a few of these metrics regularly. However, a full Athlete Tech Assessment is much more in depth and gives the athlete a full picture of how to improve for their sport.
Athletes can register for a performance evaluation at the University Hospitals website (Link) or the T3 Performance website based on your location. You can also call into your nearest T3 Performance location to schedule an assessment.
Physical Therapy Sports Technology
The physical therapists at UH use a variety of technology tools to help athletes recovering from injuries and provide them with precise, customized care plans. Our technology includes state-of-the-art devices that can help increase strength, flexibility, endurance and muscle control. Our program provides real-time metrics that help enhance recovery, improve performance and reduce injury risk.
Our physical therapy technology includes:
- AlterG anti-gravity treadmill
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A cutting-edge rehabilitation and training device that utilizes NASA-developed differential air pressure technology to reduce a user's effective body weight by up to 80 percent, allowing for low-impact walking or running.
- BTE Eccentron
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An advanced resistance strength trainer designed to enhance lower-body rehabilitation and performance by engaging muscles during their lengthening phase. This technology allows athletes to safely apply higher loads with reduced fatigue, promoting faster strength gains and improved neuromuscular control.
- BTE PrimusRS
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A versatile rehabilitation and training system that combines multiple resistance modes to assess and enhance strength, endurance and neuromuscular control across various joints and muscle groups. The PrimusRS offers sport-specific simulations and real-time performance feedback, enabling targeted rehabilitation and performance enhancement while minimizing injury risk.
- Chattanooga Intelect RPW 2
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An advanced shockwave therapy device that utilizes radial pressure wave (RPW) technology to deliver non-invasive treatment for musculoskeletal conditions. It benefits athletes by reducing muscle pain, temporarily increasing blood flow, and activating connective tissue.
- Delfi Personalized Tourniquet System (PTS)
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A medical-grade device designed for blood flow restriction (BFR) training, utilizing patented limb occlusion pressure (LOP) technology to customize and safely regulate pressure for each individual. This personalized approach allows athletes to achieve significant muscle strength and hypertrophy gains using low-load exercises, making it especially beneficial during rehabilitation.
- Humac Norm
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An advanced computerized exercise and testing device that measures and strengthens joint movement, particularly focusing on isokinetic strength and control. It provides precise data to guide injury rehabilitation, optimize performance and reduce the risk of future injuries through targeted strength training.
- HydroWorx Pool
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An advanced aquatic therapy system featuring integrated underwater treadmills, adjustable water depths and resistance jets, designed to facilitate low-impact rehabilitation and performance training.
- mTrigger biofeedback
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A portable surface electromyography (sEMG) device that provides real-time visual feedback on muscle activation via a mobile app, helping athletes improve neuromuscular control and performance. By enabling precise monitoring of muscle engagement during exercises, it aids in correcting movement patterns, enhancing muscle recruitment and accelerating rehabilitation, making it a valuable tool for optimizing athletic training and recovery.
- VALD DyNamo
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A state-of-the-art handheld device that combines a dynamometer and inclinometer to accurately measure muscle strength and joint range of motion. Its modular design and real-time feedback capabilities enable athletes to track performance, identify imbalances, and tailor training or rehab programs effectively.
- VALD ForceDecks / Hawkin Force Plates
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These devices are dual force plate systems that measure ground reaction forces during various movements, providing detailed insights into an athlete's strength, balance and neuromuscular control. This technology benefits athletes by identifying asymmetries and performance deficits, enabling targeted training and rehabilitation strategies.
- VALD ForceFrame
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A versatile isometric strength testing and training system designed to assess muscle function across all major joints, including the hip, knee, shoulder and neck, using real-time feedback and customizable configurations. Athletes benefit from its ability to identify strength imbalances and track rehabilitation progress.
- VALD NordBord
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A cutting-edge hamstring testing system designed to accurately measure eccentric and isometric strength, providing real-time feedback to assess muscle function and asymmetries. This enables athletes to identify imbalances, monitor rehabilitation progress and tailor training programs.
Concussion Care Technology
The UH concussion management team now uses Sway concussion testing. Unlike older technology that was designed for desktop computer use, Sway relies on smartphone and tablet technology to administer baseline and post-injury concussion testing.
With Sway, the baseline test helps providers understand how an athlete performs when they are not injured, which can identify a significant change in performance following a concussion diagnosis. The Sway technology is FDA-approved for use with sports concussion and is already in use by many sports medicine providers and sports organizations.
- How Sway Works
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The Sway System combines balance and cognitive measures to help healthcare providers make accurate and informed evaluations. The Sway app includes concussion symptom scales for tracking symptoms such as headache, dizziness, slurred speech, vision problems and nausea. It also includes a series of balance tasks where the athlete will hold the phone to his/her chest and the device will measure body movement. The Sway app also includes a series of cognitive tasks, similar to smartphone puzzles and games, which measure cognitive changes.
- Benefits of Sway
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The previous concussion testing system used at UH, ImPACT, requires the use of a desktop computer and takes 25 – 35 minutes to complete an evaluation. In contrast, Sway relies on smartphone and tablet technology and only takes 5 – 15 minutes to complete. This technology improves clinical measurements and convenience. By using Sway, UH providers can meet athletes where they are, moving outside of the clinical environment.
The UH Drusinsky Sports Medicine Institute team believes that the more sophisticated measurements, improved access and ease of administration enable quicker recoveries and the delivery of more targeted treatments for athletes.
Surgical Innovation and Technology
The orthopedic surgeons at UH use leading surgical technologies to improve patient care and outcomes.
Some of our surgical technologies include:
- ArthoFree® wireless camera system
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Developed by medical device company Lazurite, this wireless arthroscope uses proprietary high-efficiency, low-heat Meridiem® light source technology to perform arthroscopic procedures. This technology improves the surgeon’s ease of use, decreases set up and take down times and improves patient safety by decreasing fire and infection risk.
- Osteocentric
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An implant with a corkscrew design that allows for improved interconnectivity with bone. This design creates a more stable connection, preserving bone, improving healing potential and decreasing risk for implant failure.
- CollaMedix
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A local company formed at Case Western Reserve University that developed a proprietary electrocompaction technology to create pure collagen sutures and implants. The high-density, pure collagen threads can be braided into a suture or knitted and woven into a patch or implant. The implants mimic natural collagen to support the body’s natural healing process and incorporate the implant into the tissue.
- UGen
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A sensor-based movement monitoring device with real-time corrective feedback. Currently used in physical therapy and rehabilitation, with other potential future applications in movement analysis and performance improvement.
- Reparel
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A high-tech recovery apparel that uses a bioactive fabric to increase blood flow and decrease inflammation. The sleeves are used on patients post-operatively and post-injury to maximize healing potential, improve early motion and decrease pain.
- NNOXX
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A nitric oxide and muscle oxygen sensor that can be used to monitor muscle recovery post-surgery and performance during training.
- MOXY
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A muscle oxygen sensor used to monitor the muscle recovery of patients who are recovering from an ACL reconstruction.
Community Sports Health Technology
UH Sport Medicine is committed to keeping sports communities safe with technologies that promote real-time communication and injury reporting between coaches, trainers and our sports medicine providers.
One technology is the Healthy Roster tool, which we have implemented in more than 70 area school athletic programs. Healthy Roster is an electronic medical record tool that allows us (with parental permission for those under 18) to track athlete injuries; treatments performed with a UH athletic trainer; conditions under which injuries occurred; appointment referrals; and return to play progress. It’s also a communication pathway between UH athletic trainers, coaching staff and parents of the athletes. The schools use secure devices to transmit data to ensure patient privacy.
Healthy Roster also provides a report card to schools, which identifies groups or locations in which particular injuries occurred and shares trends to assist with education and injury prevention.
UH Haslam Sports Innovation Center’s Living Lab
One way in which we’re working to bring sports medicine technology to the forefront is through UH Haslam Sports Innovation Center’s living lab. This real-life environment allows for rapid testing and scaling of innovation and gives our students, families, athletes and patients an opportunity to provide feedback and help shape our research and innovation initiatives in real-time.