Press Release March 16, 2022
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Rice University Athletics Using RU-Fit to Protect Tennis Players from Injury
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Rod Evans, Houston, TX
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Article:
(Katy, TX – March 16, 2022) — Determining when an athlete recovering from injury or fatigue is ready
to return to action is a problem that has confronted athletic trainers, team physicians, players and
coaches for decades.
The Rice University women’s and men’s tennis teams are utilizing the revolutionary RU-Fit device to
answer that question by acquiring accurate readings of how players are recovering from muscle fatigue
or neurological conditions triggered by extreme exertion during competition that may hinder
performance.
Dean Miller, Rice Athletics assistant athletic director for sports medicine commented, “we had a player
recently suffering from a muscle injury issue that significantly impacted his performance during a match,
we used the RU-Fit device to get a base line on him before the match, so when he began having issues,
we could use RU-Fit to quickly see that his muscles were contracting and he was not able to control
what was going on in his body. After he recovered enough to return to play, we got readings before and
after practice—sometimes three times a day—to see the progression of how the muscles were learning
to control themselves.”
The hand-held RU-Fit device, developed by Dr. William C. Paske, chief technology officer for Katy, Texas-based
Red Oak Instruments, quickly and accurately measures changes in fine motor control in the hands,
allowing physicians, coaches and athletes to recognize changes in coordination that may be caused by
fatigue, muscular issues or neurological conditions, including concussion.
About the size of a TV remote control, the noninvasive RU-Fit takes about 10 minutes to measure the
force applied by the thumb, index and small finger simultaneously to determine how effectively the
hands are working together. It has proven to be exceptionally accurate not only in detecting changes in
coordination, but also in showing changes during the course of physical therapy regimens.
For tennis players, reaction time can mean the difference between winning and losing. The Athletic
Trainer says RU-Fit’s ability to accurately track changes in muscle reaction time to help guide training
focus and methods takes athletic training and injury prevention to the next level.
Miller commented, “Rice trialed the RU-Fit regarding competition recovery with the women’s tennis
team about six years ago and then expanded it to the men’s team. We get base line readings by testing
before and after matches. It is an efficient cutting-edge evaluative tool,”
Rice Athletics officials are considering expanding the use of RU-Fit throughout the athletic department.
“I think the sky is the limit for this device,” Miller said. “The RU-Fit ability to evaluate injuries and detect
physiological or even nutritional issues is extremely helpful in ensuring the health of our athletes. I think
it has a wide variety of research capabilities that can lead to better performance.”
About RU-Fit
The “Made in America” RU-Fit has earned approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and
is HIPPA compliant. It is designed to be invaluable to professionals in a variety of fields in addition to
athletic trainers, including chiropractors and physical therapists. Hospitals, clinics and emergency
medical technicians (EMTs), as well as pediatricians looking to evaluate childhood development skills,
and military leaders monitoring their soldiers’ rehabilitation programs, could all benefit from the
immediate accuracy of RU-Fit.
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