In 2013, the Colorado Rockies began using MuscleSound, the health technology company that discovered and developed a non-invasive way of measuring glycogen levels for muscle health in order to optimize performance and muscle readiness.
The Rockies used MuscleSound’s ultrasound technology in a pilot program to quickly uncover the capacity of players’ muscles to generate, store and replenish energy before and after games. Now in its fifth season of the partnership, the team is continuing to see the technology’s impact.
“Our players’ health and safety out on the field is always our top priority, and with MuscleSound, we’ve been able to build in the ability to access real-time muscle health data into our day-to-day operations,” Keith Dugger, Head Athletic Trainer for the Rockies, said in a statement. “By having access to a real-time blueprint of each player’s muscle health and fuel levels before and after every game, we’re able to provide each athlete with a customized plan with muscle-specific data allowing for personalized nutrition and training recommendations. We look forward to not only our continued partnership but also a successful 2017 season.”
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One issue MuscleSound’s technology has become a catalyst for change for is the players’ level of nutrition and fuel. In addition to changing the “standard of food” in the Rockies’ clubhouse and team plane, the data helped change the players’ eating, training and sleeping schedule when they are on the road.
With the team landing at roughly 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. after a night game, the old schedule had players going to bed, waking up around 11 a.m. or 12 p.m., eating breakfast and going off to train. The new schedule has the team arriving around the same time, sleeping for about six to seven hours, eating breakfast and then going back to sleep for an additional three to four hours. According to MuscleSound President and CEO Andy Jackson, this new schedule allows the fueling to hit at the right time for pregame warmups and the actual game itself.
Another area MuscleSound has helped the Rockies with is the measurement and management of players’ health, particularly for preventing and rehabilitating soft tissue injuries.
“Our data, because we do it baseline where they are at their perfect score, gives us the ability to watch (players) through their rehabilitation,” Jackson said. “This makes it so (Dugger) won’t put them back into the game too early or too late but the player feels confident their muscle health is perfect.”
One of the most significant things MuscleSound has added to its partnership with the Rockies is the monitoring of in-game fuel for relief pitchers.
Not knowing if and when a relief pitcher is going to comes out of the bullpen has them constantly warming up and depleting fuel. Because of the MuscleSound technology, the Rockies have been able to look at the nutrition levels at the beginning of games and at the beginnings of innings to determine if a pitcher is ready.
“It’s not always about longtime data, training camps, nutrition or travel,” Jackson said. “Someones it is in that moment. Sometimes you need to be able to go ‘OK, do you feel ready to go?’”
In addition to the Rockies, MuscleSound has partnerships with several other MLB teams and is used by the NFL, NBA, USA Women’s Olympic Track Cycling Team, Pac-12 and SEC institutions, fitness clubs, rehabilitation centers, physicians, municipal and government service agencies and a newly entered healthcare vertical.