The club doctor of Spain offers some tips on how sports medicine can keep you healthy.

Claudio Vazquez Colomo is Spain’s Club Doctor and he explains that it’s the subtle, lateral moves of the best sportsmen.

It is amazing what a World Cup will set into motion.

Football’s stars are always in the spotlight. But as the tournament approaches, a preparation frenzy washes over millions around the world – from builders to lawmakers, from hotel workers to security forces.

This is also true for doctors. I have just returned from Atlanta, where I met dozens of colleagues from national teams to coordinate the medical planning for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup – and it was not easy work.

It is not easy to plan the tournament, as it will be played in the US and Mexico, along with Canada.

Over several days, we designated referral hospitals for each of the venues – and laid-out painstaking emergency protocols in case a player is injured during a match.

READ MORE DR CLAUDIO COLOMO VAZQUEZ: Warm-up exercises are important before and after sports

The way we conduct ourselves is very different from the standard protocol in most clubs.

As national team doctors, we are primarily responsible for managing healthy players, not injured ones. 

A footballer who is injured in an international match is replaced by a fitter player. For that reason, much of our work focuses on strengthening recovery strategies – essentially, we want players to arrive in the best possible condition for training sessions and matches.

In this context, I like to refer to a concept known as‘invisible training.’

Many factors exist that are not visible on the pitch – and yet, they are essential for performance and injury prevention. 

I’m referring to nutrition, rest and hydration as well as recovery strategies. Each of these aspects would be worthy of a separate article.

Recovery strategies have evolved in recent years by combining both traditional methods and emerging technologies. 

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Hyperbaric medicine is one of the more notable innovations in sports medicine. This treatment involves inhaling oxygen at high concentrations inside a pressured chamber. This increases the amount oxygen dissolved into the bloodstream, and allows it to diffuse into the body tissues. 

Several studies have shown that this hyperoxygenation may promote muscle recovery, reduce inflammation and stimulate tissue repair processes such as angiogenesis – the formation of new blood vessels. 

Research published in scientific journals such as Sports Medicine and Undersea & Hyperbaric Medicine has described improvements in recovery after intense exercise and in inflammatory muscle processes.

You can now enjoy these treatments, even if you’re not an elite athlete. 

They are being used by more and more wellness centres to encourage people to stay active. Imagine someone who walks a few kilometres every day, plays golf at weekends, cycles or runs despite the age. 

READ MORE Doctor who takes care of Spain’s football stars writes: You shouldn’t use rain as an excuse to not exercise if you’re over 45. 

In many of these cases, people are not trying to train harder – they just want to recover better. 

If you manage your symptoms properly, you can maintain a more active lifestyle.

The principle of cryotherapy is similar. Short exposure to very low temperatures triggers an astoundingphysiological response: blood vessels contract before dilating again, and the process reduces both pain and inflammation.

In professional sports, cryotherapy is used to help muscles recover faster after intense training or matches. The British Journal of Sports Medicine published studies that showed it could delay muscle soreness after exercising and improve recovery.

Cryotherapy is a method that uses advanced devices to rapidly cool the body.

Another technology that has attracted growing interest is infrared light therapy – also known as photobiomodulation. 

Studies have shown that infrared stimulates mitochondrial activity when it penetrates tissue.

READ MORE Spain’s national team physician on how to avoid injury in Spain’s most popular sports

This means that it can increase energy and tissue regeneration. 

Infrared therapy, according to research published in journals like Photomedicine and Laser Surgery and other similar publications, may also help reduce inflammation and speed up muscle recovery following physical activity.

For many people who exercise regularly – even at a purely recreational level – the real goal is not competition, but the ability to continue moving freely, without pain, for many years. 

Walking, swimming or playing tennis is part of an active lifestyle that can protect cardiovascular health, joint mobility, and overall well-being. 

Recovery strategies are of particular importance in this context.

The fundamentals remain: a good night’s sleep, a healthy diet, hydration and recovery time. 

Modern technologies are an excellent complement to those who want to take better care of their bodies. 

These therapies don’t replace these basic habits but they can reduce fatigue, improve tissue regeneration and enhance the feeling of recuperation after physical activity.

Recovery isn’t just for professional athletes. Recovery is part of an overall personal health strategy. 

The difference between stopping exercise as we age and continuing to move for years is taking care of our body, allowing it to recover correctly, and using tools that help this process. 

It is important to note that one of the goals of modern sport medicine is to keep people active, healthy and independent for as long as possible.

Contact Dr Claudio Vazquez at claudio.vazquezcolomo@gmail.com

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