Jun 4, 2015More Than a Phone
Many athletic trainers may not realize that they have access to a useful assessment and diagnostic tool that doesn’t require going beyond their pocket. If you’re interested in using your mobile devices for more than communicating, you’ll want to check out “Using Tablet Devices and Cell Phones for Biomechanical Assessment in an Evidence-Based Athletic Training Practice” on Thursday. The presentation will be given by David Ruiz, ATC, Owner of Orlando Athlete.
Ruiz offers a preview of his presentation in this Q&A.
TC: What will be covered in the presentation, and what are some of its highlights?
DR: Cell phones and tablet devices are an easy way to capture athletic movement. The “why’s” and “how’s” will be discussed along with the clinical reasoning required to maximize the information provided from the recorded video and images. Common equipment features will be covered so that participants can identify the capabilities of their current devices and be aware of what to look for when purchasing a future device. Additionally, common movement dysfunctions will be discussed.
TC: Who will benefit from attending and what will attendees take away from it?
All athletic trainers in clinical practice will benefit from this presentation. Technology is a staple in our lives, continues to improve, and continues to become more affordable. Understanding how to maximize cell phone and tablet technology will improve AT assessment and diagnosis.
TC: Is there anything they should know before arriving?
Participants should figure out what image capture features (picture and video) their devices have. The best way to understand these features is to shoot some video and pictures of their patients while practicing or rehabbing an injury before the conference. When they attend this presentation, participants will be able to compare their video and pictures to those being presented. Understanding their devices ahead of time will allow them to use the information in this presentation most effectively. For example, does their phone or tablet capture slow-motion video at 120 frames per second (fps)?
TC: What is the presentation’s biggest selling point?
Cell phones and tablet devices are affordable alternatives to expensive motion analysis laboratories. Because we often have our devices in our pockets or nearby, they also offer a convenient solution to recording movement analysis. Additionally, the portability of cell phones and tablets allows athletic trainers to capture video and images in actual practice and competition settings; high-end motion analysis systems are often confined to biomechanics laboratories and only capture simulated practice and game situations.
TC: What’s something that may surprise attendees about your presentation?
Many athletic trainers might be surprised to find out that they are carrying around a mini-biomechanics lab in their pockets. Some of the fun features on their phones can be serious tools in the assessment and diagnosis of movement dysfunction—slow-motion video and rapid fire pictures capture movements that are too fast for the naked eye to see.
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