Published: September 01, 2010
Field Science: Stanford Hospital, 49ers Advance Sports Medicine Through Innovative Research
STANFORD, Calif. - (BUSINESS WIRE) - In collaboration with Newton's laws of motion, most notably that one
about force equaling mass times acceleration, the San Francisco 49ers
are helping physicians and scientists at Stanford
University Medical Center learn more about the biomechanics of
football injuries.
Daniel
Garza, MD, an emergency and sports medicine physician at Stanford
Hospital & Clinics and the 49ers' medical director, is working with two
research assistants to measure the impact of blocks and tackles using
pressure sensors worn by some of the players in their uniforms.
"It's unprecedented for an NFL team to support research at this level,"
Garza said.
Indeed, the project reflects what coaches and physicians with the 49ers
describe as a unique and mutually beneficial relationship. Stanford
Hospital & Clinics, the only academic research hospital
providing comprehensive medical care for an NFL team, knows a lot about
treating athletes. (It has served as the official medical provider of
Stanford Athletics for almost two decades.) Meanwhile, the 49ers are
helping Stanford physicians advance the field of sports medicine.
"We have a population of elite athletes we can learn from," said Gary
Fanton, MD, a Stanford Hospital orthopaedic surgeon and team
physician for the 49ers. "We can collect biomechanical data to improve
our understanding of sports health and sports-related injuries."
William
Maloney, MD, chair of Stanford's
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and also a 49ers physician,
emphasized that the knowledge he and his colleagues gain from studying
and treating the team can be applied beyond the realm of professional
sports. "The benefit is that we can translate the care of high-level
athletes to everyday athletes," he said.
Forty-Niners co-owner John York, a retired clinical and research
pathologist, supports the research efforts, Garza said. The NFL has also
given its blessing, lifting the usual restrictions against computers on
the sidelines so that Garza's research assistants - Tyler Johnston, a
second-year medical student at Stanford, and James Mattson, a 2010
Stanford graduate in human biology - can collect and analyze data.
"We're trying to understand the biomechanics of the trauma players
receive, so we can both assess how well their body armor is working and
what physicians should be looking out for," Garza said. He cited the
example of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Chris Simms, who
ruptured his spleen during a 2006 game. Unaware of the gravity of the
injury, Simms went on playing - a decision he later admitted could have
cost him his life.
"It's difficult to assess these athletes on the sidelines when they've
potentially sustained some kind of internal injury, especially when
they're reluctant to leave the game," Garza said.
With this in mind, Garza launched the sensor project, funded by
Stanford's Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, about two years ago.
Sensors are worn on the chest and abdomen of some offensive players and
in the shoulder pads of some defensive players. The players also wear
wireless transmitters, which send information about the force and
location of hits to laptop computers on the sidelines.
The researchers hope the data they collect will teach them more about
the incidence of chest, abdominal and shoulder injuries in the sport.
Eventually, their work could lead to advancements in protective gear and
earlier diagnoses, Garza said.
At the same time, Garza, Johnston and Mattson are conducting a second
experiment, using infrared cameras to capture and measure heat emanating
from players as they rest on the sidelines during breaks in the game or
after changes of ball possession.
The goal is to identify and help those who may be predisposed to heat
illness. After intense exercise, blood flow normally increases to
arteries, veins and capillaries just below the skin to help the body
cool down. This mechanism is particularly active in the cheek region,
one of the body's natural radiators. Given the amount of padding worn by
football players, the cheeks become a particularly important outlet for
heat dissipation, researchers say.
Preliminary findings suggest that, after heavy exertion, players with a
history of heat illness have less vascular flow to their cheeks. The
researchers hope their data will pave the way to detecting heat stress
in players before they suffer any ill effects, as well as serve as the
basis for new tools or equipment to prevent overheating in the first
place.
Jeff Ferguson, head athletic trainer for the 49ers, called the
partnership with Stanford Hospital a "win-win."
"One day, the research component of our Stanford partnership is going to
help medical professionals at all levels make better-informed
decisions," he said.
About Stanford Hospital & Clinics
Stanford Hospital & Clinics is known worldwide for advanced treatment of
complex disorders in areas such as cardiovascular care, cancer
treatment, neurosciences, surgery, and organ transplants. Consistently
ranked among the top institutions in the U.S. News & World Report
annual list of "America's Best Hospitals," Stanford
Hospital & Clinics is internationally recognized for translating
medical breakthroughs into the care of patients. It is part of the
Stanford University Medical Center, along with the Stanford University
School of Medicine and Lucile
Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford. For more information, visit http://stanfordmedicine.org.
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Stanford Hospital & Clinics
Media Contact:
Liat Kobza,
650-723-1462
lkobza@stanfordmed.org
Writer:
John
Sanford
jsanford@stanfordmed.org
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