Monday, January 21, 2019

New Technologies Inform Sports Injury Prevention


Florida executive Homer Zulaica has a background in high tech medical devices and sports medicine. Homer Zulaica’s experience includes work as an athletic trainer with the NFL Europe’s Amsterdam Admirals and the NFL’s Baltimore Orioles. 

A recent article in The Medical Futurist drew attention to leading-edge technologies that are informing preventive strategies for sports injury. Advances have been made in avoiding injury through preventive genomics, whereby DNA information is collected and used to provide insight into optimal nutrition and the design of a personalized meal plan. 

At the same time, health can be monitored through a diversity of sensors tied to real-time analytics. In addition to generalist apps such as Fitbit Surge, there are specialized products such as Blast Motion, which measures and optimizes swings, and Vert, which informs jumping capacities. 

Another area of innovation involves the use of sensory helmets, garments, and mouth guards, many of which incorporate GPS trackers and dozens of biomarker metrics, including acceleration and heart rate. Zephyr Technology has developed trauma-monitoring patches that measure impact and force and provide critical data on concussion risks in sports such as hockey and football.

Monday, January 14, 2019

Understanding Peripheral Nerve Conditions


A business executive with a background in athletics training and pain management, Homer Zulaica has a wealth of experience in areas such as cardiovascular and orthopedic health. Homer Zulaica’s expertise encompasses peripheral neurosurgery, which centers on the body’s nerves that lie beyond the brain and spinal cord.

The peripheral nerves encompass motor nerves that trigger movement and sensory nerves that transmit sensation. The latter nerves are sensitive to elements such as pressure, temperature, and pain. Areas they help control include perspiration and temperature, as well as blood circulation.

In cases where pressure is exerted on these nerves, lack of oxygen may result in abnormal sensations such as numbness, prickliness, and pain. Causes of nerve damage include diabetes mellitus, alcoholism, thyroid hormone imbalance, vitamin deficiency, and compression syndromes, perhaps the best-known of which is carpal tunnel syndrome. In many cases, the cause of the condition is unknown.

Friday, January 11, 2019

Fishing for Tarpon in Florida


Homer Zulaica has an extensive background in sports medicine and the sale of medical products. A Florida resident, Homer Zulaica enjoys fishing with his sons in his free time. 

One of the sought-after sportfish off the Florida coast is tarpon, typically found in warm waters that exceed 70 degrees. With a preferred temperature of 79 degrees, some local tarpon stay around Keys such as Islamorada and Boca Grande year-round. Places to seek them include deep channels and outfalls created by power plants. 

Those tarpon that migrate typically arrive in April and stay through June, though they may last as long as December and come as early as February. The exact timing with which they make their way from the Keys to North Florida and back is highly variable, and it makes sense to research current weather patterns and fishing reports when considering an excursion.

The preferred tarpon bait is live mullet or crab, and the fish are most likely to bite early in the morning or in the late evening, depending on tide patterns. Given their size and ability to fight, the best tackle for tarpon is a medium-action 7-foot rod with a heavy reel. This provides the backbone needed to reel in the fish without completely tiring it out.