Possibilities of thermovision application in sport and sport rehabilitation

Infrared thermography or thermovision is increasingly applicable in sport and sport rehabilitation. Thermic forms, thermic imprints, temperature and isotherm distribution, temperature gradient change are the terms that are more and more often met in sport medicine and medicine, in general. We presented two examples of thermovision application: in detection of muscle injury and changes of the feet exposed to low temperature. In the first example the thermovision method was used for analysing heat distribution in an athlete with back muscles injury. With a special original method of local cooling the place and degree of injury was precisely localized and determined, respectively, regardless high environmental temperature. In the second case the thermovision method was for the first time applied in a runner whose feet was exposed to low temperature. Significant hypothermia of the feet was detected by the method and appropriate treatment was performed. Thanks to this the athlete had no harmful consequences. Thermovision is fast and efficient in detecting different kind of injuries, so its increased use in the future can be expected.