The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI)-based wearable tech is allowing sports medicine professionals to collect, analyze, and transmit real-time athlete data more accurately. Wearable tech, such as the everyday Apple watch or more advanced systems like WHOOP, tracks various health parameters, such as heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, sleep patterns, lactates, electrolytes, pH, and environmental parameters. Sports medicine professionals can now leverage these powerful tools to provide more individualized care to athletes. AI can analyze biometric data, medical history, and genetic markers to recommend personalized medication plans. With AI’s support, sports scientists can achieve more precise load management, injury prevention, and performance optimization.
Predictive Injury Prevention
The data collected by wearable sensors can be analyzed using machine learning (ML) and AI algorithms to provide insights into an individual’s health status, enabling early detection of health issues and the provision of personalized healthcare. ML models analyze movement patterns, training loads, and past injuries to predict the likelihood of stress fractures, muscle strains, or ligament tears. Pharmacists can use this data to recommend preventative interventions like anti-inflammatory treatments, hydration strategies, and recovery supplements.
Hydration Monitoring
Bioimpedance-based wearable sensors offer non-invasive monitoring of physiological parameters like hydration, body composition, and respiratory function. Sweat is considered an ideal biofluid for detecting biomolecules in wearable Point of Use devices because it is much easier to collect for testing than other biofluids, such as blood, which require invasive methods.
Devices like sweat analysis patches track electrolyte loss during training, helping pharmacists recommend the proper sodium, potassium, and magnesium balance to prevent cramping and dehydration.
Muscle Recovery & Fatigue Detection
Wearable systems are showing highly promising solutions for fatigue monitoring. Some devices include muscle oxygen sensors, tiny devices that monitor the oxygen saturation level in the muscles.
The concentration of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin in muscle tissue is commonly measured using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) devices. These sensors provide valuable data by detecting oxygen saturation in the muscle, which can assist athletes in maximizing their performance and recovery.
Muscle oxygen sensors work by emitting light into the muscle tissue and measuring the amount of light absorbed and scattered by the hemoglobin in the muscle. This allows the sensor to determine the concentration of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin in the muscle tissue, which can be used to calculate the oxygen saturation level.
Wearables can also measure heart rate variability (HRV) and lactate levels, providing additional insight into an athlete’s recovery status.
Heart rate variability (HRV) is an extremely sensitive metric, and it fluctuates greatly throughout the day, from one day to the next and from one person to another. HRV refers to the variation in time between successive heartbeats, which is a key indicator of autonomic nervous system activity and overall recovery.
Wearables with photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors (found in devices like WHOOP and Apple Watch) detect HRV by analyzing pulse waves or electrical signals from the heart. A higher HRV typically indicates better recovery and readiness for training, while a lower HRV can signal fatigue, stress, or overtraining.
Wearable devices with compatible AI-driven platforms can now analyze HRV trends to recommend rest days, training intensity adjustments, or recovery interventions like hydration or sleep optimization.
Lactate is a byproduct of anaerobic metabolism, and its accumulation in muscles can lead to fatigue and decreased performance. Traditionally, lactate levels are measured through blood tests, but non-invasive wearable sensors are emerging that use sweat analysis or optical detection to estimate lactate buildup.
Some wearables use biosensors that detect lactate concentrations in sweat, providing real-time feedback on an athlete’s exertion and recovery status. AI algorithms analyze lactate trends to suggest optimal recovery windows, fueling strategies, and training modifications to prevent muscle burnout.
By continuously tracking HRV and lactate levels, wearable technology helps sports medicine professionals and pharmacists fine-tune recovery plans, optimize performance, and reduce injury risk. Pharmacists can use this data to recommend pain management therapies, transdermal treatments, or anti-inflammatory medications tailored to the athlete’s needs.
Sleep & Recovery Optimization
Sleep monitoring wearable devices have gained significant popularity in consumer health and sleep research in recent years as a non-invasive and convenient tool for tracking sleep patterns and assessing sleep quality. These devices utilize various sensors and algorithms to monitor sleep stages, duration, and disturbances. These devices now incorporate multi-sensor setups, using accelerometers, heart rate monitors, and peripheral oxygen saturation sensors to capture comprehensive sleep-related data.
Sleep is crucial for muscle repair, cognitive function, and overall performance, and wearable tech’s ability to track sleep and identify disturbances can help athletes adjust their routines to improve their performance.
Wearable devices can differentiate between restorative sleep (deep sleep and REM) and non-restorative sleep. This distinction is essential for athletes because while they may get a full 8 hours of sleep, it might not be of high quality. AI systems can suggest adjustments in sleep hygiene or recovery protocols to optimize restorative sleep.
Some wearable devices now track circadian rhythms, helping athletes optimize their training times based on their body’s natural energy levels. AI can analyze these rhythms to recommend the best times for peak performance, recovery, and sleep, ensuring athletes perform at their best while minimizing the risk of overtraining.
Wearables tracking sleep cycles and cortisol levels help pharmacists advise on melatonin, adaptogens, or recovery supplements to enhance rest and recovery.
Limitations of Wearable Tech and AI in Sports Medicine
While wearable technology and AI offer exciting possibilities for sports medicine, their current capabilities are limited.
The accuracy of some devices, especially in tracking complex metrics like sleep quality or muscle fatigue, can be influenced by various factors, such as improper usage or device malfunctions. Additionally, while AI can analyze vast amounts of data, human interpretation, and clinical expertise are still required to make informed decisions.
Privacy concerns are also a consideration, as continuous data collection raises questions about how athletes’ personal health information is stored and protected.
Finally, while AI and wearables can greatly enhance personalized care, they cannot replace the hands-on experience and judgment that healthcare professionals use to understand an athlete’s unique needs.
The Future of AI & Wearables in Sports Pharmacy
As AI and wearables advance, sports medicine professionals and pharmacists will have even greater tools to provide customized treatment plans and proactive health strategies for athletes. Integrating real-time health monitoring and AI-driven insights can potentially lead to more precise medication management, injury prevention, and optimized performance solutions.
Clinical Sports Pharmacy Summit
This summit will focus on advancing clinical excellence in athlete care, including topics such as:
- Pharmacology in sports
- USADA’s, Tammy Hanson is presenting on “Anti-Doping Strategies in Athletes: Safeguarding Integrity and Health in Sports.”
- Emerging therapies for Performance Optimization
- Injury prevention and recovery
Accredited by NSU Barry and Judy Silverman College of Pharmacy for continuing pharmacy education (CPE), the summit offers up to 12 contact hours (1.2 CEUs). It is approved as a CE Broker provider for the Florida Board of Pharmacy.
Attending events like this ensures athletes and support teams stay informed on the latest anti-doping developments while fostering a commitment to clean competition.
Navigating the complexities of anti-doping regulations can be challenging, but staying informed and proactive is key. With the 2025 WADA Prohibited List introducing significant updates, athletes and coaches must prioritize compliance to protect their careers and the integrity of sport. Leveraging the expertise of sports pharmacists and participating in educational events are practical steps to achieving this goal.
For more information on the Clinical Sports Pharmacy Summit or to register, visit https://sportsrxnetwork.com/events/summit-2025/.
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If you want real-time clinical cases, webinars, evidence-based sports supplementation resources, continuing education, anti-doping resources, and access to exclusive digital content, join the Sports Pharmacy Network here.
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Written by Jessie Tobin, MA, BA
After receiving her master’s in professional communication, Jessie began her professional career at a healthcare technology startup, where she managed all content writing, paid media, email marketing and partner relationships. She is deeply passionate about using storytelling to build strong emotional connections between brands and their audiences, a skill she has refined through her YouTube channel, which has over 17 million views. Aside from copywriting, she shares her expertise as a professor at The University of Tampa.