Nottingham Forest trials blood test to study injury risk

Sport · First reported 9 Nov, 00:01 · Updated 00:19

Image: Wikimedia Commons · NASA Johnson Space Center · Public domain

Nottingham Forest and biotech company Entourage are running a 12-week study with the club’s 25-player men’s B-Team squad. Researchers will analyse blood samples alongside existing player information to investigate whether biological patterns could help identify injury risk and inform recovery.

The study will analyse players’ blood twice a week and compare findings with training, workload and clinical information.
Researchers will investigate whether protein patterns are associated with non-contact soft-tissue injuries and changes during recovery; the trial will assess whether the tests can predict or prevent injuries.
Entourage will report the findings to Forest at the end of the study. The company says the technology could eventually complement performance statistics with biological information.