A SUPPORTING CHANCE
NEW ENTRANTS IN SPORTS ARE FOCUSING ON PROTECTING ATHLETES, NOT JUST PUMPING THEM UP.
PERFORMANCE optimization in sports isn’t new. But a recent shift toward prioritizing athletes’ health, safety, and wellness has been seismic. Driving this change are the same kinds of algorithms that have personalized nearly every aspect of our digital experience, in this case enhancing our understanding of the individual athlete and the human body.
“It’s only through an Ai-powered or technologypowered approach that you can scale personalized healthcare and precision medicine,” says Scott Magargee, cofounder and CEO of Springbok Analytics. Springbok has developed a way to use AI to turn 2D MRI data into personalized 3D musculoskeletal analyses to optimize a person’s health and performance.
Its technology, which could help treat everything from ACL tears to rotator cuff injuries, has found customers throughout the NFL, NBA, MLB, and college teams. While Springbok focuses on elite athletes, Magic
AI helps out amateurs and average Joes with Ai-powered programs that offer one-on-one training from celebrity trainers and professional athletes. The company uses computer vision to analyze more than 250 exercises and provide real-time feedback.
Not all developments are focused on physical performance. Realresponse offers a platform for athletes and employees to safely and swiftly share any concerns they may have about things like team culture or mental health issues through anonymous two-way communication and surveys. Meanwhile, PROXR is focused on the tools athletes use for their sports. What began as a backyard baseball accident turned into a reimagining of the baseball bat’s shape to eliminate compression and help protect hitters from hand injuries. PROXR has since expanded into other swing sports, such as hockey, golf, and lacrosse.
While Proxr’s innovation changes the game, those like Springbok’s could transcend it. “We cut our teeth on sports,” Magargee says. “But it’s much bigger than sports.” —Paul Mueller