It is estimated that an English Premier League team loses an average of 45 million pounds due to injury-related detriment in performance per season.¹ Not only is there an economic incentive in professional sports to prevent and rehabilitate injuries, but there is also the mental and physical strain caused to the individual.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be viewed as the fourth industrial revolution and the emerging frontier in medicine.² There is much anticipation as to when and how AI will make its big break into modern medicine. Physical therapy and sports medicine, in particular, are experiencing significant advancements due to AI's innovative applications. 

Understanding AI in healthcare

AI is the theory and development of systems that enable computers and machines to simulate human intelligence for learning, reasoning and self-correcting capabilities.³ In order for a machine to become intelligent, it needs to learn. That is where we speak about machine learning, a branch of AI. Machine learning teaches the AI to recognise patterns and make decisions based on previous examples.

In order to mimic the way that the brain thinks, deep learning is employed. Deep learning involves computer programmes that mimic how the brain works by forming neural networks. In the same way, our brains have neurons that communicate with each other to process information, and deep learning programmes have artificial neurons, making neural networks, that work together to solve problems.

The role of AI is becoming increasingly common in modern life, as well as in many medical disciplines. It is aiding physicians with increasing efficiency, decreasing errors and improving the health and well-being of patients.

Sports medicine and physical therapy

Sports medicine is a specialised branch of medicine focused on promoting exercise and health, as well as studying and improving sports performance.⁴ It includes key areas such as preventing and treating sports injuries, providing physical therapy, regulating the use of drugs in sports, and offering training and nutrition advice.⁴

Physical therapy, also known as physiotherapy, is a field of medicine dedicated to reducing pain and helping people restore or maintain their best physical function.⁵ Physiotherapists work to design personalised exercise programs that improve strength, flexibility and endurance. They use techniques like manual therapy, stretching, and targeted exercises to address problems such as muscle imbalances, joint stiffness, and pain. By concentrating on these areas, physiotherapy helps in healing and in the prevention of future injuries, enabling athletes to perform at their best.

Application of AI

Exploring the various ways AI can integrate into the broad spectrum of sports medicine and physical therapy reveals its potential to bring about disruptive change within the field.

Injury prediction 

Injuries can have a major impact on sports, especially for professional athletes whose performance is critical to the multibillion-dollar sports industry. Keeping these athletes healthy is essential not only for their careers but also for their teams' success. Therefore, predicting and preventing injuries is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge.

Machine learning (ML) is becoming increasingly important in this area by analysing training and performance data to forecast potential injuries. For instance, the Cleveland Clinic's Department of Orthopaedic Surgery has developed a model that predicts injury risks for the next season in the National Hockey League with an impressive accuracy of 94.6%.⁶

Beyond professional sports, the wearable health technology industry has seen significant growth, with a market size worth $115.8 billion in 2021.⁷ Amateur athletes now have access to a variety of devices, such as watches, straps, and bands, that provide valuable health metrics. These tools cater to the growing demand among home fitness enthusiasts to optimise their training.

The data collected from these devices can be processed by sophisticated ML algorithms, making advanced predictive tools accessible to the general public. This accessibility to technology represents a revolutionary step, allowing everyday athletes to benefit from the same resources previously available only to professionals.

Diagnostic imaging

Imaging plays a crucial role in modern medicine by using various modalities X-rays, CT scans, MRI and ultrasound to help diagnose and treat various injuries. Physicians bring a wealth of expertise to interpreting medical images, but AI significantly enhances their capabilities by processing vast amounts of data with perfect memory. 

AI enhances diagnostic accuracy and speed through processes like image enhancement, which improves clarity and detail, resulting in sharper images that reveal finer details. Image segmentation technology identifies and isolates specific regions of interest, such as tumours, organs, or blood vessels, allowing rapid recognition of changes from previous medical images. Additionally, radiomics integrates imaging, disease, and genetic data, extracting 'hidden data' such as shape, texture, and intensity to inform medical decision-making.

Moreover, AI optimises the workflow of medical imaging by intelligently choosing protocols, selecting optimal imaging techniques, adapting to individual anatomy variations, and avoiding technologist errors, leading to higher throughput and improved image quality. 

Physical therapy 

AI is becoming an integral part of physiotherapy assessment and treatment. AI analyses patient data, including medical history, movement patterns, and progress, to create highly tailored treatment plans. This level of personalisation ensures that every rehabilitation program aligns with the patient's specific needs and goals.

AI-enabled devices can continuously monitor a patient's movements during therapy sessions. This real-time feedback allows for instant adjustments and ensures that exercises are performed correctly, minimising the risk of injury.

AI adapts rehabilitation programs as patients progress. It continually assesses a patient's performance and modifies exercises to challenge them appropriately, ensuring that therapy remains effective and engaging.

Enhanced patient care

Most importantly, AI will be a tool that not only assists physicians and physiotherapists but also enhances the level of patient care. By efficiently handling repetitive and routine tasks, AI frees time to focus on more valuable aspects of patient care. Empowering specialists with AI tools enables them to provide significantly more timely and detailed information to the healthcare team, improving patient outcomes.

This results in more face-to-face interactions to guide imaging decisions and more effective communication of results. Ultimately, this will lead to earlier diagnosis, better treatment options, and improved patient outcomes.

Advancements in sports performance

AI is not just about recovery; it’s also about optimising athletic performance. Data analytics and AI are being used to enhance training regimens and competition strategies. By analysing performance data, AI can offer insights into an athlete’s strengths and weaknesses, allowing for more targeted training.

Professional sports teams are employing AI to improve their competitive position. For example, AI is increasingly applied to predict football team performance, an expanding area of study. Machine learning techniques analyse data and statistics to pinpoint crucial performance metrics, which then forecast each team's average scoring performance.⁸ These insights assist coaches and sports analysts in identifying areas for improvement within team performance, enabling targeted interventions to enhance overall effectiveness.⁸ 

Telehealth

Telemedicine uses electronic technologies to provide healthcare and support when the participants are separated by distance.⁹ This technology is rapidly expanding through mobile applications in medicine and health contexts, offering vast potential to improve healthcare delivery.

Health and fitness apps are designed not just for data tracking but also to influence user behaviour positively, promoting healthier lifestyles through improved eating habits and physical activities. AI algorithms in these apps analyse user data to provide personalised feedback and recommendations, enhancing health consciousness and encouraging beneficial behavioural changes.

Wearable devices, highly integrated with mobile applications, play a crucial role in AI-driven telemedicine. These devices go beyond fitness tracking for amateur athletes and are increasingly significant in exercise medicine. AI-powered sensors in wearables monitor parameters like heart rate, speed, and location, helping to assess training demands and prevent overtraining.

In team sports, AI analyses data from wearables to evaluate player movements during different manoeuvres, optimising training programs to improve performance and minimise injury risks. By leveraging AI and telemedicine, advanced sports medicine is accessible to a broader audience.

The future of AI in physical therapy and sports medicine

Physical therapy and sports medicine are promising specialities which can benefit from the innovations and emerging trends of AI. Technological advances will continue to improve diagnostic accuracy, delve deeper into personalisation of treatment plans, and enhance rehabilitation processes. The development of more sophisticated wearable technology able to track more unique data points, are likely to become commonplace, enabling for extrapolative data analysis.

The goal is to create a sports environment which protects and prevents injury, as well as enabling swift and complete rehabilitation. Ultimately this will lead to increased athletic performance. Accepting AI-enhancing capabilities will be essential for healthcare providers to stay at the forefront of medical advancements and ensure primary patient care. 

Summary

AI is reshaping physical therapy and sports medicine by leveraging integrating data analysis and machine learning. It enhances diagnostic accuracy in imaging, optimises workflow efficiency, and tailors rehabilitation plans for individual needs.

AI-driven innovations in wearable technology and telemedicine further extend its impact, promising improved injury prevention, personalised care, and enhanced athletic performance. As AI continues to develop, it will play a pivotal role in advancing healthcare practices, ensuring more effective treatments and better outcomes across the board.