Imagine if playing a video game could reduce your risk of injury and make you a better athlete. The Emory Sports Performance And Research Center (SPARC) is turning this dream into reality for youth athletes in Georgia, including those at seven high schools in Hall County.
As the football season approached, Emory SPARC expanded its Georgia Initiative for Virtual Reality in Education and Sports (GIVES) to Hall County. The GIVES program uses virtual reality (VR) technology to “enhance injury prevention, rehabilitation, and sports performance,” providing young athletes with training tools like the pros use, according to an Emory news release.
Emory SPARC, located at the Atlanta Falcons Flowery Branch headquarters across from one of the schools, Flowery Branch High, is a leading research center dedicated to researching and disseminating injury prevention strategies for young athletes.
“Our mission is to help athletes play well and stay well. Emerging research shows that incorporating virtual reality tools into sport-specific training can significantly enhance both injury prevention and performance,” says Greg Myer, PhD, director of the Emory Sports Performance and Research Center. “We are thrilled to partner with Hall County Schools to implement the virtual reality training programs developed in our laboratories. By getting these tools into the hands of coaches, athletes, and school medical staff, we can encourage kids to be active, while reducing the risk of injuries.”
You can read more about this initiative here: Emory expands virtual reality program to reduce injuries for youth athletes in Georgia
(Pictured: A football player at Flowery Branch High School engages in virtual reality football drills.)