Frequently Asked Questions

Thermography is the process of detecting infrared (IR) energy emitted from a surface using thermal cameras and converting that energy into a temperature map. In the human body, different temperature regions often indicate conditions such as circulatory disorders, inflammation, fatigue, or injury. In athlete health and performance analysis, this technology is a highly effective tool for detecting abnormalities in muscle groups.

Yes, thermography is an effective method for injury and fatigue risk analysis in athletes. Thermal images detect temperature changes in muscle groups, indicating potential injury risks or signs of overuse. The Aivisiontech Ai4sports software analyzes this data to quickly and accurately evaluate whether there is a risk of fatigue or injury across 40 distinct muscle groups. This enables preventive interventions and performance improvement.

To obtain accurate results in thermal imaging, there are rules to follow under three main headings:

Athlete Preparation - Before imaging, the athlete should wait 15–30 minutes in a thermally neutral room (20–23°C) to stabilize body temperature. - To prevent thermal reflections, the imaging area should be free from clothing and accessories (e.g., jewelry). - Do not apply cosmetics, creams, or any other substances to the skin to be imaged. - Avoid hot/cold compression and baths, sauna, steam rooms, etc., before imaging. - Avoid coffee/alcohol consumption before imaging.

Imaging Conditions

• Ambient Temperature: 20–23°C (stable).
• Humidity: Between 30%–60%.
• There should be no airflow or direct sunlight.
• In the background, there should be no reflective surfaces (mirror, tile, etc.) or heat sources (radiator, AC, etc.).
• The athlete should stand on a step board.

Camera Settings

• The thermal camera should be calibrated according to ambient conditions. Most thermal cameras auto-calibrate.
• The shooting angle is generally set perpendicular to the body region.
• The camera emissivity value should be 0.98.
• The color palette should be 'Rainbow'.

Yes, you can connect your thermal camera to a computer to capture images.

FLIR Thermal Cameras: Can be connected to a computer using a USB cable, enabling real-time transfer of thermal images.

Hikmicro Thermal Cameras: Provide wireless connectivity over Wi‑Fi, offering greater freedom of movement and flexible use.

The ai4sports software is compatible with both connection methods, allowing easy analysis of thermal images.

You can easily upload your thermal images to the AI4Sports software for analysis. Here is a step-by-step guide:

Create a New Analysis: Go to the "Create New Analysis" section on the AI4SportsHub platform. Select the type of analysis you want to perform: - Before/After Analysis (for before/after comparisons) - Thermal Analysis (detailed analysis of lower/upper extremities based on thermal images) - Full Body Analysis (analysis covering all body muscle groups) - Carpal Analysis (specifically for hand and wrist regions) Select the athlete you want to analyze and create a new analysis session.

Start Analysis from the Athlete Profile: Alternatively, open the athlete's profile and start a dedicated analysis for that athlete.

Upload Images or Connect to the Camera: - Upload Images Manually: Upload the thermal images you captured to the platform according to the chosen analysis type. - Connect to the Camera in Real Time: Connect your thermal camera and stream images directly to the platform in real time.

Analysis Process: After the images are uploaded or real-time streaming begins, the analysis starts. The AI4Sports system generates analysis reports within 15 seconds for each capture. These reports provide detailed insights into muscle group status and risk assessments.

This process is fast and user-friendly, allowing you to instantly evaluate the athlete's condition.

Yes, athletes should comply with the following rules before imaging. - Before imaging, the athlete should wait 15–30 minutes in a thermally neutral room (20–23°C) to stabilize body temperature. - To prevent thermal reflections, the imaging area should be free from clothing and accessories (e.g., jewelry). - Do not apply cosmetics, creams, or any other substances to the skin to be imaged.
- Avoid hot/cold compression and baths, sauna, steam rooms, etc., before imaging. - Avoid coffee/alcohol consumption before imaging.

Ai4sports can be used by athletes and clubs across all sports.

Ai4sports AI software analyzes relevant muscle regions and their associated temperature values from thermal images. The average temperature differences between symmetric muscle regions are used as an indicator of injury risk. As the temperature difference increases, the risk of injury rises proportionally.

Fatigue analysis is performed by evaluating inflammatory regions detected within the muscles. The AI calculates the size of these inflammatory areas and their counterparts in symmetrical muscle regions. An increase in inflammation differences indicates that a particular region is under greater load or that physiological activity is more intense in that region. These findings are used to understand the athlete's fatigue level and are referred to as the "fatigue assessment".

For thermal analysis, it is recommended to capture images before and after every training session. However, for teams that cannot perform imaging regularly, the ideal frequency is determined based on match day (MD). Accordingly, imaging is recommended on MD+24, MD+48, MD-48, and MD-24. This ensures regular monitoring of processes that may affect the athlete's condition.

Thermal analysis reports for athletes are saved in their individual profiles. To view thermal analysis reports, go to the relevant athlete's profile. You can also review recent reports on the home page to view analyses for a selected date or for a specific athlete together, and examine any report in detail.

Ai4sports AI software can analyze a total of 40 muscle groups: 18 in the lower extremities and 22 in the upper extremities. Since thermal imaging measures infrared energy reflected from the surface, the muscles that can be analyzed are generally those closer to the surface.

Lower Extremity Muscle Groups

Lower Front:

1. Foot
2. Ankle
3. Gastrocnemius and Soleus
4. Patellar
5. Quadriceps Rectus
6. Vastus Lateralis
7. Tibialis Anterior
8. Upper Adductor
9. Vastus Medialis 

Lower Back:

1. Achilles Tendon 
2. Biceps Femoris / Hamstring Lateral 
3. Calcaneal 
4. Gastrocnemius Lateralis / Calf Lateralis 
5. Gastrocnemius Medialis / Calf Medialis 
6. Hamstring Medialis 
7. Popliteal 
8. Adductor 
9. Vastus Lateralis

Upper Extremity Muscle Groups

Upper Front:

1. Abdominal 
2. Biceps 
3. Cervical 
4. Deltoid 
5. Extensor 
6. Flexor 
7. Hypochondriac Region 
8. Carpal 
9. Supraclavicular Region and Above the Collarbone 
10. Olecranon 
11. Pectoral

Upper Back:

1. Cervical 
2. Deltoid 
3. Extensor 
4. Flexor 
5. Gluteal 
6. Carpal 
7. Lumbar (Paravertebral / Latissimus Dorsi) 
8. Olecranon 
9. Rotator Cuff 
10. Trapezius 
11. Triceps

This comprehensive muscle analysis provides detailed data for performance evaluation, identification of injury risks, and fatigue monitoring.

Injury Analysis Injury analysis is performed by evaluating thermal asymmetries in symmetrical muscle regions. As thermal asymmetries increase, the severity of injury risk also increases. This risk assessment should be interpreted by club healthcare professionals, taking into account the athlete's current or past injuries. Personalizing training programs and treatment protocols is important to protect the identified risk areas.

Fatigue Analysis Fatigue assessment is carried out by comparing inflammatory regions in symmetrical muscle areas. An increase in inflammatory regions indicates overuse or potential damage to the muscles.

• Pre-Training Fatigue: Signs of fatigue before training indicate that the athlete has not rested sufficiently. In this case, personalizing training programs and protecting at-risk muscle regions is recommended.

• Post-Training Fatigue: Fatigue observed after training is associated with overuse of muscles. If overuse is not properly assessed, it can lead to injuries. Therefore, it is critical to plan rest and treatment processes according to the athlete's fatigue level.

Both analyses should be monitored regularly to prevent injuries and ensure sustainable performance.

Before/After analysis is the comparison of thermal evaluations performed before and after training. In this analysis, each muscle region is compared not with its symmetrical counterpart, but with its own prior state. Thus, each muscle's response to training is evaluated objectively. This method provides a clearer demonstration of the effects of training on the muscles.

Daily Evaluation Daily evaluation enables a collective review of the team's thermal analyses for a specific day. During this evaluation, data can be filtered using criteria such as analysis type, player positions, injury/fatigue assessment, and capture time. This allows for a detailed analysis of the team's daily performance and condition.

Periodic Evaluation Periodic evaluation offers the opportunity to collectively review all thermal analyses of athletes within a selected date range. As with daily evaluation, analyses can be filtered by player positions, analysis type, injury/fatigue status, and other determined criteria. This method provides a comprehensive perspective for long-term analyses and process tracking.

PMCS, PMTS, and PMSS are models used to predict athletes' injury and fatigue risks.

PMCS stands for Periodic Muscle Condition Score, PMTS stands for Periodic Muscle Tiredness Score, while PMSS stands for Periodic Muscle Status Score.

PMCS

PMCS is calculated using injury grading data from the last five reports, with greater weight given to recent data.

• PMCS -> The weighted average of the total injury grades from the last five reports, where more recent reports are emphasized.

PMTS

PMTS is calculated using fatigue grading data from the last five reports, with greater weight given to recent data.

• PMTS -> The weighted average of the total fatigue grades from the last five reports, where more recent reports are emphasized.

PMSS

PMSS is used to detect a sudden increase or decrease in muscle condition. It evaluates the average temperatures from the last five reports and compares them with the most recent report.

• PMSS -> The z-score of the average temperatures from the last five reports is calculated and then compared with the average temperature in the latest report to identify any changes.

Posture analysis is carried out in an integrated manner with full-body thermal imaging. During the analysis, the spatial orientation regions and angles of specific reference points (ear, shoulder, pelvis, knee, and ankle) on the athlete's right and left sides are calculated.

Thermal evaluation provides a unique contribution to posture analysis. The thermal distribution in the body offers critical information for detecting asymmetries or compensation mechanisms in the musculoskeletal system. For example, thermal abnormalities may indicate uneven muscle loading, inflammation, or injury risks. Combining these data with posture analysis makes it possible to perform a more comprehensive and objective evaluation of the athlete's body mechanics, balance, and performance.

This integrated approach provides effective guidance both in developing injury prevention strategies and in rehabilitation processes.

Ai4sportsGPT is an AI solution that provides personalized training and rehabilitation recommendations by considering the athlete's sport, past medical reports, and recent thermal analysis results.

This AI model has been developed based on peer-reviewed articles, books, and scientific sources related to athlete health and performance. Ai4sportsGPT integrates this comprehensive knowledge with athletes' individual needs to provide both performance-enhancing and injury-preventive guidance.

Its ability to deliver athlete-specific recommendations contributes to more effective planning of training programs and accelerates rehabilitation processes. Ai4sportsGPT sets a new standard in athlete health and performance analytics.

GPS data is used to accurately measure performance metrics such as movement speed, distance covered, acceleration, and deceleration. Ai4sports combines this data with thermal evaluation results to provide a comprehensive analysis.

On the Ai4sportsHub platform, training or match GPS data uploaded by teams is visualized graphically in an integrated manner with athletes' thermal analysis results. This integration enables the simultaneous monitoring of performance metrics and injury risk assessments.

The platform requires team professionals to import GPS data into the system in CSV/Excel format. The uploaded data is associated with selected muscle regions and GPS evaluation criteria to create a dynamic analysis environment. For example, which muscle groups are under excessive load at a certain speed or acceleration level can be identified by correlating with thermal data.

This integrated structure enables more effective planning of training and matches, ensures load balancing, and provides more comprehensive protection of athlete health.

Athlete status information allows marking and recording conditions such as injury, fatigue, or inactivity for an athlete. On the Ai4sports platform, these conditions can be labeled in detail, and estimated return periods can be specified.

This approach enables a chronological review of injuries and recovery processes throughout the season. It also provides objective insights for teams at the end of the season, contributing to the optimization of injury management, performance evaluation, and training planning. Accurate and regular tracking of athlete status is critical both for improving individual performance and for developing team dynamics.

Temperature change charts visualize the time-dependent changes in muscle temperature values within a specified period. The charts produced on Ai4sportshub are based on each muscle's own temperature values and present average temperature changes over this data.

These charts are a critical tool for analyzing athletes' physical condition in detail, monitoring the thermal responses of muscles, and conducting long-term performance tracking. Team-level analyses, in particular, provide an opportunity to evaluate the overall effects of training processes and optimize them accordingly. Thus, data-driven improvement strategies can be developed for both individual and team performance.