MEDICAL PHYSICS LUNCHTIME SEMINAR: Going for Gold – Near Infrared Spectroscopy in elite sport

Non-invasive measurements in medicine can focus on academic or translational problems. 

However, the research paradigm is of attempting to understand a damaged system and track its reversion to a healthy normality. In sport normality gets you nowhere. The system must be tracked and assisted to achieve its optimal state. 

Near infrared spectroscopy detects changes in oxygen delivery and utilisation using hemoglobin chromophore changes. In medicine this can enable measures of compromised blood flow or decreased oxygen consumption in tissue. In sport, however, the goal is to track improvements in blood flow and oxygen consumption. 

In general though not exclusively clinical uses of NIRS have focussed on the brain and sport NIRS on the muscle. So is muscle NIRS fit for sport or merely an academic distraction? Following a brief overview of the tools, techniques and pitfalls of using NIRS in muscle, 

Professor Chris Cooper will address this question using examples from his own research. Opinions of key stakeholders (coaches and performance directors) will be contrasted with those of academic journal reviewers and sports scientists. 

The elite athletes tested will include premiership Rugby Union players, Team GB hockey, biathlon and short-track speed skaters and the all-conquering Dutch long-track speed skating team. 

The difficult of making meaningful measurements in the challenging sporting environment will be highlighted by work with triathletes and swimmers (including Olympic gold medal synchronised swimmers).