Innovative treatments
Medical science is changing at a rapid pace. Doctors and physical therapists who work in the top sports and training programs under the TeamNL flag must stay current in their knowledge and skills. Moen: “Top athletes work hard every day to get better. We should do it, too.” TeamNL has employed two medical experts who read new scientific publications and write a monthly update for both physicians and physical therapists.
In addition, NOC*NSF cooperates with universities at home and abroad to gather knowledge through research. For example, a study is currently underway with the University of Amsterdam UMC on the possibilities of oxygen chambers. Moen: “It turns out that muscle fibers recover better when people spend some time in hyperbaric oxygen chamber. We will soon test this with top athletes. The safety of athletes is of paramount importance, of course. This applies to all innovative treatments that can be used or applied. “We’re not cowboys.”
New interventions regularly find their way to the rest of society through research in top sports. This is also important for NOC*NSF, says Moen. “As a high-level sport, we are part of society. High-end sport is about such small details. If it works there, other target groups can also benefit from it.” He cites two examples he recently participated in. “I visited a number of care homes because they wanted to know more about our infection prevention campaigns that we do when we go to major tournaments. In the run-up to the Tokyo Games, we developed cooling vests to keep our bodies clean. “Athletes cool down in hot conditions. “We loan jackets to hospitals.”
