Wireless technology to boost Sydney Roosters' title defence

Defending 2013 NRL Champions the Sydney Roosters are using a motion sensor product to boost training, injury prevention and player rehabilitation programs. The dorsaVi technology, which is also used in OHS applications, enables many aspects of detailed human movement and position to be accurately captured, quantified and assessed outside a biomechanics lab, in both real-time and real situations.

The Roosters have begun using ViPerform to monitor players’ core control during gym work and running, and for knee stability and hamstring testing. The system will also provide data on the players’ lower back and pelvic position during weights exercises, and measure ground reaction force (GRF) during running drills.

GRF measures the force exerted when a body comes into contact with the ground and is a metric used by sports scientists to help reduce the risk of athlete injury.

dorsaVi’s unique, locally designed product consists of wireless electronic sensors that are placed on the body. The sensors record and send information on player movement to a database providing immediate analysis.

The Roosters’ head physiotherapist, Steph Brennan, said the club would evaluate ViPerform over the coming months.

“Player monitoring, injury prevention and rehabilitation are crucial to the success of the Roosters in 2014, so we are excited to see how ViPerform supplements our existing player management programs,” Brennan said.

The Roosters join the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys in adopting ViPerform. The technology is also being used by six AFL clubs, two English Premier League clubs, the Australian and Victorian Institutes of Sport, the Queensland Academy of Sport and Cricket Australia.

dorsaVi CEO Andrew Ronchi said he was excited to expand the company’s presence in the NRL.

“We believe ViPerform can have a substantial impact on how sports scientists monitor players at risk of injury and assist injured players return to the field quicker,” Ronchi said. “It’s exciting to see the Sydney Roosters become the second NRL team to adopt ViPerform and we look forward to working with the club on its player welfare program.”

dorsaVi’s technology also has applications beyond the elite sporting field through ViMove, dorsaVi’s product for the clinical market, and its OHS product ViSafe. ViSafe is used for improving work practices and workplace safety and design. It has been used by major corporates including Coles, Woolworths, Toll, Toyota, Amcor, Crown and BHP Billiton.