doiSerbia

Possibilities of thermovision application in sport and sport rehabilitation

Badža Vukašin (Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, Novi Sad)
Jovančević Vojin (Provincial Secretariat for Sport, Novi Sad)
Fratrić Franja (University EDUCONS, Novi Sad)
Roglić Goran (Electromedical, Novi Sad)
Sudarov Nenad (Provincial Secretariat for Sport, Novi Sad)

Introduction. Infrared thermography or thermovision is increasingly applicable in sport and sport rehabilitation. Thermic forms, thermic imprints, temperature and isotherm distribution, temperature gradient change are the terms that are more and more often met in sport medicine and medicine, in general. Case report. We presented two examples of thermovision application: in detection of muscle injury and changes of the feet exposed to low temperature. In the first example the thermovision method was used for analyzing heat distribution in an athlete with back muscles injury. With a special original method of local cooling the place and degree of injury was precisely localized and determined, respectively, regardless high environmental temperature. In the second case the thermovision method was for the first time applied in a runner whose feet was exposed to low temperature. Significant hypothermia of the feet was detected by the method and appropriate treatment was performed. Thanks to this the athlete had no harmful consequences. Conclusion. Thermovision is fast and efficient in detecting different kind of injuries, so its increased use in the future can be expected.

Keywords: sports medicine, rehabilitation, athletic injuries, thermal conductivity, treatment outcome