After the European Soccer Championships is the Bundesliga soccer season. While some of the EM stars are still on vacation, most players have once again began with training. On Saturday, July 16, 2016, came the professionals of FC Ingolstadt came to the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences and to the Center for Prevention and Sports Medicine. First of all from the team of the first division club came for their basic annual examination to the Center for Prevention and Sports Medicine directed by Prof. Dr. med. Martin Halle. After that, various scientific sports tests were conducted with the players in the Prevention and Performance Lab (PPL). For this purpose, Thomas Blobel, a research associate of the Department of Exercise Science and Sports Informatics of Full Professor Dr. Martin Lames, had designed four stations especially for the first division club.
Basic investigation: Minimizing risk, for example for cardiac death
The annual basic sports medical examination is prescribed by the German Soccer League (DFL) and is performed on soccer professionals prior to each season. In this way, for example, the risk of a sudden cardiac arrest should be minimized.
"The basic examination consists of a review of heart and lung functions, and a general medical examination," explains PD Dr. med. Johannes Scherr. The physician heads the "Professional sports" section at the Center for Prevention and Sports Medicine and conducted the investigation together with Prof. Dr. med. Florian Pfab, the Ingolstädter Chief team physician.
Physical examination, ECG at rest and exercise ECG, echocardiography and pulmonary function test
The pros along with their Captain, Marvin Matip, completed four stations on Saturday starting with the physical examination by team doctor Prof. Pfab. PD Scherr then performed an ECG (electrocardiography) at rest and echocardiography (ultrasound of the heart). There was then a measurement of lung functions. While sitting in a clear glass box, the players around Tobias blew into a roughly 30 cm long tube. The exercise ECG was carried out at a final station. The professionals rode on the ergometers against a resistance which was increased every two minutes in 50-watt intervals. Hereby, the electrical activity of the heart and the blood pressure were measured by physicians and recorded using electrodes.
"The examination is an important routine," states Prof. Pfab. In 2009, team physician of the soccer club habilitated at the Technical University of Munich and, after a stay at Massachusetts General Hospital (sports orthopedics and radiology), spent four years at the Center for Prevention and Sports Medicine and elsewhere. The contact to the TUM dates from this point in time. "I'm very happy that we have the TU Munich as a partner and are able to make use of the infrastructure of the university," says the native Munich.
Prof. Pfab: "Athletes can be presented better and more objectively"
Pfab was additionally a key proponent of additional sports scientific tests that were carried out for the first time after the basic examination. For this purpose, Thomas Blobel, a research associate of the Department of Exercise science and Sports Informatics of Full Professor Dr. Martin Lames, had combined various tests - in consultation with Pfab and Christian Haser. Haser, a physiotherapist, osteopath and naturopath, heads of the medical department of FC Ingolstadt together with Pfab.
"We would always like to present our athletes better and more objectively and work with a large focus in regard to the prevention of injuries. Consequently, the idea to make use of the sport-scientific measurement methods of the Prevention and Performance Lab was born," explains Pfab. "Our basic goal is to get more data from our players in order to employ this information in prevention and also in rehabilitation following injuries. To date, very much here is based upon experience and feelings collected in professional sports," Haser explains. Consequently, the collaboration began with Thomas Blobel who adjusted the tests to meet the needs of the soccer players and then initially test this with the youth teams of the first division, before the pros were also examined on Saturday.
Drop jumps, strength measurement, a body scan as well as gait and running analyses
For this purpose, Blobel designed four stations. The ground contact time was determined using drop jumps on a force plate. Then, the body of each player's was measured using a body scan. "The body scan delivers precise data, for example, on body measurements and sizes of muscles such as the calf, thigh or of the upper arm," explains Blobel. Next, maximum strength and endurance for hamstring and quadriceps was determined in the IsoMed 2000. "Here, for example, muscular imbalances show up. Together with the data from the body scan this results in quite a precise picture of the statics in our players, and then also shows us where we should take preventive action," says Haser.
The last station consisted of a gait and running analysis. For this, multiple joints of the players are pasted over with markers and the activity of thigh muscles is simultaneously measured using mobile EMGs. Then the players moved immediately and continuously on a catwalk over a force plate. These movements were recorded by several cameras and, at the same time, modelled by means of biomechanical software on the computer. If a player changes his movement patterns after an injury, even the smallest details can be detected and, if necessary, appropriate changes be induced.
"The sports faculty of the Technical University of Munich is a perfect partner for us. It allows us in this field of elite sports to take advantage of and associate the sport with university knowledge and, with a view of the data collected, to once again to take a further step," according to Haser.
Interdisciplinarity as a particular strength of the Faculty
For the measurements, Blobel was supported by seven Bachelor's and Master's students of the Department of Sport and Health Sciences. "The students did a really great job. It's great that they are already so far, that you can safely perform tests with Bundesliga professionals together with their help," Blobel states. "I think that this project also demonstrates, in particular, the strength of our faculty's interdisciplinarity. After all, for the conception of the measurements I was able to take advantage of experts in various fields. For example, from the Professor of Biomechanics, the Chair for Sport Orthopedics, the Operational Unit for Applied Sports Science, or the extensive practical experience with the application of our technology through the Teaching Learning Center," sums up scientific researcher of the Department of Exercise and Sports Science.
Picture gallery to the TUM visit of the FC Ingolstadt
To the Homepage of the Center for Prevention and Sports Medicine
To the Homepage of the Department of Exercise and Sports Science
Contact
PD Dr. med. Johannes Scherr
Center for Prevention and Sports Medicine
Uptown Munich, Campus C
Georg-Brauchle Ring 58
80992 Munich
Telephone: 089 289 24441
E-Mail: info(at)sport.med.tum.de
E-Mail: Thomas.Blobel(at)tum.de
Text: Fabian Kautz
Photos: Fabian Kautz