Fibrous materials to support sports performance
Nowadays, with the evolution of the fibrous materials industry, there has been an increasing research around the sports material so that it can contribute to the athlete’s better performance in the accomplishment of his career.
In a first approach, these materials allowed the athlete to get a greater comfort during the sporting practice allowing a better circulation of air between the clothing and the athlete’s body, avoiding the possibility of feeling uncomfortable with the sweaty clothes tied up to the body. Subsequently, new technologies were added which, above and beyond the interior comfort concern, also have allowed the equipment to protect the athlete from external factors such as wind and rain.
The equipments of athletes of outdoor [group] sports, such as football, are a good example of the above mentioned.

Speaking more specifically of this class of sport, where I have been specialized, there are studies that prove that an injury occurs every 6 seconds. These injuries, in 70-80% of cases, occur in the lower limbs, since athletes are constantly subject to rapid explosion movements (running, changing of direction, shooting at the goal, etc.) and need an average recovery period of 4 to 6 weeks.

there are studies that prove that an injury occurs every 6 seconds.

As a result [of this], particular materials start to be developed in order to support the athlete allowing him not only the comfort in the field and the recovery of injuries but also their prevention, allowing to protect the muscular structures before the injury occurs and providing a greater support to the more prone to stretching muscles and fractures.

From an inner point of view, this extra support allowed by the protective equipment to the athlete offers him much more confidence while fulfilling his sports abilities, helping him during either the training or the game period to enhance his physical performance in the field.

particular materials start to be developed in order to support the athlete allowing him not only the comfort in the field and the recovery of injuries but also their prevention

In recent years, a whole range of sports support materials has been developed: personalized shin guards, ankle protections for the Achilles tendon support, hamstrings to prevent fatigue in adductors, etc. In this last example, its use protects and prevents the appearance of injuries in the adductor, helping the athlete to play longer, since the muscular fatigue will appear later than normal, allowing the team and the coach to get a higher performance of a particular athlete who is indispensable to the team.

An athlete’s performance can be divided into 2 groups: the first group, in which we put in the technical and tactical training, and all associated physical exercises, and a second group, in which we include mental training, equipment (clothing, shoes and accessories).

The first well-known and studied group has been in use since the dawn of sport and is currently showing levels of effectiveness and efficiency very close to perfection.

An athlete’s performance can be divided into 2 groups: the first group, in which we put in the technical and tactical training, and all associated physical exercises, and a second group, in which we include mental training, equipment

It is in the second group that we can make the difference and maximize the performance of an athlete. In mental training, we define goals, we draw plans and goals to achieve, and we make out what is being done in terms of visualization of the game. We help the athlete realize how one can mentally reinforce their Emotional Intelligence. One of the main fears of athletes is related to injuries that may occur during training or while playing, and can often lead them not to carry out with a few dangerous moves, restraining the way they “attack” the ball. With the use of specific equipment, the athlete trusts the worn materials and knows that they play a role of protection / reinforcement of the most prone to injury areas, thus feeling more comfortable in the matches of greater contact.

The use of intelligent material has been gaining a lot of attention in the sports world and will continue to gain ground as a result of the research that has been developed in this area.

"The use of intelligent material has been gaining a lot of attention in the sports world and will continue to gain ground as a result of the research that has been developed in this area."

Increasing an athlete’s performance will go not only through his physical training improvement but also through the mental way he realizes his physical performance and the materials he uses to be well protected from the troubles [that] an injury may cause.