THE USE OF THERMAL CAMERA IN MONITORING SPORTS PERFORMANCE AND PREDICTION OF INJURIES

Abstract

This study analyzed the use of thermal cameras in monitoring athletes and predicting injuries through a systematic review of electronic articles. Initially, 9 studies published in English from 2020 to 2022 were selected following a search on the PubMed database using the descriptor "thermal camera in athletes." Bandeira et al.'s study (2014) examined temperature and CK variation at different times post-training and post-match, confirming thermography as a reliable diagnostic method for injuries, whereas CK proved less specific due to individual variability and delayed serum elevation. Regarding camera models, Machado et al. (2021) compared three thermal devices, concluding that the highest resolution camera (E60bx) yielded the best results due to its detailed analysis capability of athletes' musculature. Early monitoring of muscular injuries is crucial, highlighting thermography as a promising tool in Sports Medicine. Further research is needed to better understand its role in secondary injury prevention, as well as to standardize protocols and adequately train operators.