Dr. Paul Saenz shares how the San Antonio Spurs have used Sports Science to help their Sports Medicine. The Spurs have always been on a leading edge of performance have looked at best practices around the globe. The sports medicine team consists of at least 10 positions with multiples at several of these positions. ATs serve as the backbone and primary interface between the players and the medical team. WHY monitor? * Direct Feedback* Injury prevention* Performance enhancements* Rehabilitation baselines Key facets of Athletic Performance Strength Aerobic Capacity Nutrition Recovery - has replaced the word “rest” - its intentional Psychological Wellness - they fill out these surveys onn a daily basis What to Monitor with Sports Science Games and Training - volumes and intensity Player Strength and conditioning Fatigue / Recovery Player Availability ( injury incidence and prevalence) Types of Loads External - the physical load they have endured * Road cyclist - mean power output for given duration - 400 watts for 30 minutes Internal - how have they responded physiologically * HR, RPE, Blood lactate, cortisol, testosterone, inflammatory biomarkers External Load Monitoring Time Motion analysis - GPS and digital video movement analysis Accelerometer Data -  * Catapult system - GPS wearable system that monitors elapsed exercise time. Neuromuscular function The huge collection of data requires the skill to extrapolate and draw conclusions. Internal Load Monitoring RPE - Relative Perceived Exertion Heart Rate Response Biochemical Weight Adductor Squeeze Dorsi-flexion lunge Isometric lunge RPE Scale Self-determined assessment of exercise intensity Correlates well with heart rate Blood draws can be done during this time. Cardio Recovery Heart Rate Recovery - how quickly your heart rate returns to normal Markers of fatigue vs fitness Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test * Short intense runs with brief recovery periods * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkOk_P5VnOA Salivary Biomarkers testosterone /Cortisol markers of stress and recovery Anabolic vs Catabolic state Adductor Squeeze Done with a blood pressure cuff Very well documented with European teams Recovery Methods Light cardio Massage Cryotherapy -  whole body cryotherapy