Sports Rehabilitation in 2050 - Behind the Scenes

Injuries are undoubtedly the worst aspect of sport, causing lasting physical and mental pain for athletes. ACC approved almost half a million sports injury claims in 2016, costing upwards of $542 million to treat (Cadwell, 2017). With stronger and fitter athletes that are more conscious about injury prevention, we should be seeing a downward trend in injuries; however, we keep on making the same mistakes.

I believe that injury rehabilitation and prevention in the year 2050 will be so advanced, that we could almost half the amount of injuries due to sport. Advanced wearable technologies as well as bionic braces will detect fatigue and send warnings to prevent injury. There are many advancements being made in the rehabilitation field, including some disabled people regaining their ability to walk. This shows how rapidly the medical field is advancing, which is why it is not unrealistic to think we can half the amount of injuries in sport. Along with the physical and mental health benefits, athletes will be able to enjoy sport for far longer if injuries were not a factor for retirement. Sport would be more popular and competitive, improving the health of many around the world.

As hard as it is to predict the future, it should be said that rehabilitation will be a huge factor in the next few years. As the worlds population ages, the need for rehabilitation and injury prevention technologies will increase, putting further strain on heath care services. Sport is something that brings people together, but the knowledge of injury prevention from athletes can be transferred to normal people in order to improve their lives too.

Cadwell, O. (2017). Sports injury costs soar to $542m. https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/94891232/sports-injuries-cost-nz-500m--more-than-road-carnage

Image - https://www.world.rugby/news/550965