Using Physics to Keep Athletes Healthy

Using physics can help athletes avoid sports injuries. Jessica Talmage played sports for as long as she can remember. She recalls smacking baseballs off tees at the age of 4. She loved being on a team. Then, she hurt her shoulder playing high school softball. It was a tough moment for her. She said, "It's really hard to walk away from [sports]. Especially when growing up, I feel like playing sports was all I did."

To help heal her hurt shoulder, Talmage visited a physical therapist. This is a health expert who uses specific exercises to strengthen muscles and improve movement after an injury. She liked learning how to slowly strengthen her shoulder. When it came time to apply to college, she decided to study sports medicine. She wanted to understand the science behind healing.

At the time of the interview, Talmage is a biomechanist. This type of scientist uses physics to understand how the body moves. Talmage directs a biomechanics lab at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota. She works with athletes to see how different forces impact athletic movements, such as pitching a baseball. She also collects data on players. She collaborates with sports medicine professionals to help athletes avoid injuries and improve their performance. In this interview, she shares her experiences and advice with Science News Explores.

I played softball through high school. I found sports so fun. There are so many different life lessons you get from playing. These lessons range from teamwork and competitiveness to learning how to deal with the highs and lows of winning and losing. It is a great teacher for life.

Then in high school, I was injured playing softball. I went to see a physical therapist. There was no true "aha" moment that made me want to study sports medicine. It did not happen in an instant. But I slowly realized that this was a career path that maybe I hadn't thought about before. The injury opened my eyes to a new way of helping people.