Real Madrid among top clubs using AI technology for injury prevention | OneFootball

Over the past couple of seasons, Real Madrid have had to deal with constant injury problems, with several players getting sidelined for extended periods.

The matter became a concern for the club hierarchy and the hope is that things improve in the upcoming season with the new coaching staff at the helm of affairs.

At the same time, Real Madrid are leveraging other services and technologies to ensure injury prevention for players, especially after a rigorous season which ended with them participating in the FIFA Club World Cup.

AI technology to the rescue?

To that end, MARCA reports that Real Madrid are among several top clubs who have turned to the use of Artificial Intelligence technology aimed at predicting and preventing injuries.

Indeed, Real Madrid, Manchester City and Bayern Munich, along with other teams that competed in the Club World Cup, such as Flamengo and Palmeiras, are making major investments to improve their medical and athlete care systems.

AI technology works by integrating data from various sources: training load, injury history, sleep quality, nutrition, on-pitch performance, and even emotional wellbeing.

This information is gathered using cameras, sensors and tracking devices that capture every detail in order to provide a more comprehensive analysis than what can typically be done by humans.

Real Madrid investing into AI technology for injury prevention. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

In addition to its sporting advantages, AI also brings financial and structural benefits. On average, an injury can sideline a player for three to six weeks, resulting in both technical and financial losses for the club.

Injury prevention has thus become a strategic tool for achieving season goals.

Insight into the technology

Providing an insight into how the AI technology is being used for injury prevention and better care of players, Santos FC Medical and Health Coordinator Dr Rodrigo Zogaib said:

“We use several AI tools to monitor athlete performance and health, including medical, physiotherapy, physiological and nutritional assessments.

“For physiological evaluations, we use thermography via the Hard Square programme, as well as daily subjective evaluations such as sleep quality and pain levels, which generate a fatigue algorithm.

“We monitor sleep, weight, hydration, GPS data and training load. This data is processed in a programme that generates alerts, allowing us to adjust each athlete’s workload individually.”

Tulio Horta, Chief Operating Officer at Volt Sports Science, a platform specialising in health and performance for elite football players, noted:

“Today, using cutting-edge technology in athlete preparation, combined with scientific knowledge and personalised care, is essential for players to reach their full potential.

“In this context, AI becomes vital as it processes a wide range of data, critical for improving performance and health, covering not just training and recovery, but also areas such as sports psychology and neuroscience.”