BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – Long Island University sports medicine received a major upgrade in its equipment and practices this week when premiere athletics sponsor, The Schwarz Institute for Physical Therapy and Sports Performance and Dr. William Schwarz, PT/DPT, donated a DARI Motion Systems set up to the university.
 
"This technology is a game-changer for our student-athletes," remarked Director of Athletics, Debbie DeJong. "The ability to analyze the biomechanics of our athletes to treat and train each athlete with a specialized program puts us at a competitive advantage on the field, but also allows us to ensure the long-term health and safety of each individual."
 
The DARI motion capture technology platform was developed using an eight-camera system which tracks 21 bone segments and nine joints with six degrees of freedom. Along with the skeletal tracking, the system also analyzes kinematics and kinetics, range of motion, joint torques, internal and external rotation at the hip, shoulder abduction, and many more bodily movements and activity. The system helps provide sports medicine professionals to create solutions for preventative care, rehabilitation, and overall health and well-being.  
 
"This technology will benefit the student-athletes by picking up imbalances and deficits in joints throughout the body," Schwarz explained. "This will allow our athletes to perform at their maximum potential and with limited injury risk. The same benefit will be extended to local high school athletes to perform at their very best."
 
The system will be used during the preseason to gather baseline data on student-athletes 6-8 weeks prior to the season. This timeframe allows for a personalized strength and conditioning plan to be put in place to develop strengths where deficits were discovered.
 
LIU becomes just the fourth major athletic organization in the United States to operate an in-house DARI system, joining the New York Yankees, Baltimore Ravens, and the University pf Notre Dame.