Benefits and ethical concerns of technology when it comes to injury prevention

(Getty/Clive Brunskill)

Injuries have long been synonymous with the professional tennis scene, but it has become increasingly evident that tennis has shifted from reacting to injuries and toward preventing them through the utilisation of technology to analyse, track, improve, and maintain technique, physical and mental health, and performance. 

Wearable player metric technologies, such as smart watches, trackers, biophysical sensors, and even clothing technologies, are being used to monitor, track, and compare bodily and health metrics. 

These technologies can track anything from heart rate and breathing patterns to speed and distance covered. They further produce metrical data that has been shown to enhance performance and reduce injuries by helping athletes and their teams continually monitor the state of all aspects of their physicality, in order to make adjustments and improvements based on this feedback. 

Similar technologies have been integrated into tennis racquets themselves, and 'smart racquets' such as the Babolat Play are attachments that analyse and provide detailed and accurate metrics regarding how a player is hitting the ball to evaluate technique. 

They are weightless and can transport metrics to a smartphone application or computer. These allow coaches and players to make corrections and adjustments that can reduce the likelihood of overuse and incorrect technique ailments. 

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Another intriguing technology is applications such as PlaySight, which utilises artificial intelligence to act as both a camera and an analytics system. PlaySight provides comprehensive video and broadcast as well as analytics, including shot placement metrics, allowing players and coaches to analyse, track, and develop in ways that minimise injuries and strain on the body. 

The streamlined immediate feedback has become a staple on college campuses and on the professional tour alike. Such 360-degree analytics are becoming part of almost all coaching, recruiting, and feedback processes, allowing players and coaching teams alike to visualise, playback, and correct various aspects of tennis performance as a collective team, aiding better technical and tactical improvements that can lead to reduced injuries. 

Artificial intelligence is even being utilised to create 3D models of players as digital avatars and reproduce their exact movements in terms of shot technique, movement patterns, and biometrics, which can even predict and flag injury risks for players in various parts of their bodies. 

This allows physiotherapists and coaches to adjust training programs and loads to the needs of a player, and even reduce loads or training completely if the risks are too high based on the modelling output. 

But what ethical concerns do these technologies bring? 

The first is the striking difference in access for players. Those with better financial means and access to technologies have a better variety of technologies that they can access and, therefore, have a better chance of preventing injuries. 

In addition, the privacy of players is at risk due to increased exposure to tracking and AI use. This is a big part of why the WHOOP scandal unfolded at the Australian Open, as the Grand Slams have expressed concern and implemented strict regulations regarding biometrics and data tracking surrounding player analytics. 

Another major concern is accuracy and accountability. What happens when technology gets it wrong? Can this lead to negative implications on the health of players and lead to injuries if technology makes a mistake and this impacts the technique, load, or performance of a player? Who is then accountable? 

Traditionally, coaches, physiotherapists, psychologists, etc, had set roles and were accountable for lapses or issues in a player's performance, health, and even exposure to banned substances, such as during Jannik Sinner's doping controversy. 

The issue with incorporating technology into these human roles and responsibilities is the blurred lines between the capabilities of technology, especially the ever-evolving landscape of AI. 

But if technology is so embedded in injury prevention, is there a way to ensure ethical and accurate implementation? What are your thoughts? Is evolving and improving technology the key to preventing and minimising injuries across the tennis landscape?

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