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Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. It surpasses American football, basketball, and baseball easily when one considers the number of fans and the dollar amounts brought in by the sport. Soccer fans are some of the most loyal and dedicated fans in the world. Soccer players are also some of the highest paid athletes, with sponsorships from corporations from many different nations of the world. In addition to being one of the most popular sports, it is also one of the most demanding sports out there. The pure amount of fitness required to play a full ninety minute game has been compared to running a marathon, but a marathon where you are constantly thinking and evaluating your component’s moves. Due to the amount of exertion soccer requires of both its players and referees, the medical staff have to be stocked with the latest equipment and supplies. Since soccer players practically play all year long in almost all conditions, it is necessary to keep a close eye on their vital signs and to pay close attention to any indications of health challenges. In doing so, soccer league medical staffers are constantly keeping up to date on the latest mobile medical technology. One such technology that they just adopted is the pulse oximeter. A pulse oximeter, also known as a pulse ox by some medical professionals, is a medical device used to measure the blood oxygen saturation and pulse rate on an individual. In the past, pulse oximetry technology was only found in clinical settings, where bulky tabletop units were used. These units are still used, but only for bed ridden patient monitoring. A new fingertip pulse oximeter is smaller than most cellular phones, and runs on standard batteries. Soccer league medical staffers use a finger pulse oximeter to easily and quickly take the pulse rate and oxygen levels of players. From these readings, they can easily determine if the player’s health is adequate for continuous play. Playing all environments and temperatures puts a wide range of burdens on the bodies of players, and therefore it is absolutely necessary to constantly take these readings. In the past, dehydration and players suffering from asthma were extremely difficult to monitor, because symptoms were not obvious until it was too late. Devices like a pulse oximeter are helping with these challenges. Soccer players always shoot for a victory, but they do not want to put their health in danger.
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pulse oximeter, soccer,
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