Can M2M save baseball?

If you are a baseball fan, there is a good chance that you have become familiar with the terms "UCL tear", "Tommy John surgery" and "lost for the season".  In record numbers, pitchers in all levels are experiencing arm injuries at an incredible rate.  What was once a rare occurrence, dozens of pitchers (including stars like Stephen Strasburg and Matt Harvey) are missing at least 12-18 months to recover from potentially career-threatening surgery.  As some baseball execs put it, this is threatening the game itself.

So, can M2M help?  Well, it is a start...

\nPitchers (along with other athletes) have long worn compression sleeves over their pitching arm to provide support for their muscles and joints.  Now, Motus Global wants to make those sleeves a heck of a lot smarter (as this recent article in Bleacher Report.

The idea is simple: more information = better decisions.  This is the crux of the benefits from M2M for any company and this is no different.  Arm injuries can be caused by a number of factors...bad mechanics, overuse, excessive use when fatigued and insufficient rest are just a few things. 

Currently, it has been possible to use slow motion video to see if there were issues with the mechanics of the pitcher's motion.  However, one could only speculate the possible wear and tear from this motion. Now, sensors show just how dramatic the motion errors are and the actual stress placed on the joints, ligaments and muscles.

Where the real benefit may surface is around the ability to calculate what was previously not tangible to measure.  Athletes are notoriously competitive and this is magnified at the professional level.  Getting an athlete to admit that their arm is fatigued is about as easy as it is for most men to ask for directions when they are lost.  Now, through advanced technology, trainers and coaches will get an actual idea of the fatigue level of the arm.  Since many injuries happen when a fatigued arm is pushed too far, this will no doubt prevent many unnecessary injuries.

Bottom line

With the incredible speed that today's professional pitchers throw at, combined with the fact that throwing a baseball is a pretty unnatural motion, arm injuries are inevitable.  As well, and like any other tool, a sleeve may not be perfect in its assessments.  However, like all M2M solutions, the idea is to give the best information to your people, which in turn only helps them make better decisions. 

As always, Novotech is ready to assist with your M2M needs. Whether you’re looking to control, track, monitor or back-up, Novotech has the solutions and products you need. View our Line Cards and let us know how we can be of assistance.

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