Rest and recovery – two critical components of an athlete’s performance on the field – are now being monitored and analyzed by the Colorado Rapids through Oura Ring in partnership with UCHealth.

“UCHealth delivers innovative care, every day, to improve lives in the communities we serve,” says Manny Rodriguez, UCHealth Chief Marketing, Experience and Customer Officer. “As the official health partner of the Colorado Rapids, we are excited to help the players improve their overall health and support their journey to a second MLS Cup title.”

Felix Proessl, Senior Director of Sport and Data Science, and Kyle Porter, Strength and Conditioning Coach, used the rings through the players to monitor sleep, preparation and recovery factors in the remaining weeks of the MLS postseason.

“The Oura Ring is an interesting technology because it looks quite simple, but it’s actually quite complex,” Proessl said. “It uses a technology called photoplethysmography. It shines a light into your skin and, based on its absorption, can detect heart rate and changes in blood volume and even skin temperature. So it’s very useful for us because these are measures that are closely related to sleep We can’t just measure how rested athletes are, we can get a good indication of your health every day… Some of the key metrics on which we look at are: resting heart rate, which is essentially the lowest heart rate achieved during the night.

Oura Rings boasts a multitude of biometrics, including resting heart rate, blood oxygen levels, breathing and heart rate variability, and more. Their ability to gather accurate readings – without compromising player comfort – is something that players and staff alike welcome.

As the Rapids compete in the playoffs, Oura Rings are essential to track player recovery for the most effective approaches to practices, games and rest days. If players stay up at night analyzing their game, wracked with nerves, taking care of family responsibilities, the rings are able to measure how much – or how little – they are resting. These metrics are then analyzed by Proessl, Porter and the rest of the coaching staff to properly utilize players in a game or practice.

Players can also see their own metrics and educate themselves about aspects of their recovery that they didn’t before partnering with Oura Ring. The comfortable, non-invasive ring has the power to not only collect important data, but to instruct these professional athletes and coaches on proper rest practices while off the court.

The Colorado Rapids are more prepared than ever to perform at optimal levels of fitness, mental health and preparation during the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs thanks to progress made with UCHealth and Oura Ring.

“We know the demands are going to be high, guys are going to put everything on the court, and sleep is going to be a major component of recovery,” Proessl said. “So thanks to UCHealth for helping us push the limits here and getting the guys in the best possible shape for these important games coming up.”