In an era where athletic performance and injury prevention go hand in hand, the Physical Therapy (PT) team of De La Salle University – Dasmariñas (DLSU-D) is taking the center stage—applying sports science and technology to optimize training, recovery, and overall athlete well-being. With sports regulations ever-changing and rapidly evolving, so too must the systems that support athletes.

Through a strategic blend of classic principles, innovative tools, and evidence-based approaches, the PT team is revolutionizing how the Patriots prepare, perform, and recover.

A full-spectrum approach from recovery to performance

In an interview with The HERALDO FILIPINO, DLSU-D PT head Roy Mallari noted that sports science integration spans the entire athletic journey—from prehab (preventative care and conditioning) to rehabilitation. 

“Those healthy athletes who [want] to improve their performance, they go to us so that they get trained—ang tawag d’on ay performance enhancement… those athletes who had previously been injured, they get [prehab]. So may injury before, and then they want to engage again on a higher level, so you do exercises, or the approach would be how to prevent [recurrence] of that particular problem,” Mallari explained.

He also added that their role includes ensuring that injured athletes return to their previous performance and functioning, thus emphasizing the importance of PT and conditioning. 

This dual-purpose approach reflects a broader understanding of an athlete’s body, which means that it is not just fixing what’s broken, but building resilience to prevent breakdowns in the first place. It’s a preventive science-forward perspective that’s becoming essential in competitive sports.

Much like how processes go, their approach in conditioning the student-athletes is a cycle.

Work smart, not hard

Interestingly, this innovation that the department champions isn’t always about fancy gadgets. Sometimes, it’s a shift in mindset.

“Right now, what we’re trying to do with the athletes is not just hard work, but efficiency… It’s one thing to work hard and then get a certain amount of [results]. It’s another thing to work hard and gain more results from the same labor, the same hard work… The new mindset is: less is more,” Mallari shared.

Instead of traditional, time-consuming methods like long-distance jogging, the team uses interval training—alternating high and low intensity exercises to build stamina. This 15-20-minute method, backed by research, can outperform an hour of jogging—delivering triple the results with less joint strain.

“So if you’re talking about technology, I’m talking about mindset and perspective. This is a new perspective, and I think, ‘yung mga machines, mga equipment, they can follow later on,” he said.

This emphasis on efficiency not only improves performance but also safeguards long-term athletic health.

Simple and new tech are still intertwined

While still working within resource limitations, the PT team is gradually adopting technology to streamline athlete care. Artificial intelligence (AI) has also entered the sports system as AI-based documentation tools help monitor progress and support recovery tracking. However, Mallari described their current utilization of the development as being on its “baby scale.” 

Kinetic chain training, which is an approach that strengthens interconnected muscle groups rather than isolated areas, is also central to their program, particularly during conditioning training. With tools like battle ropes and kettlebells, athletes develop full-body coordination, enhancing functional movement and reducing injury risk.

Although kettlebells aren’t an innovation, their strategic incorporation into training routines is helping introduce athletes to more dynamic forms of conditioning.

The team has also begun using specialized, patented mats for specific training purposes, which require expertise to operate effectively. 

Moreover, aquatherapy, which helps with overall improvement of body coordination, and vestibular training, which helps enhance concentration, also form part of their toolkit. This proves that sometimes, it’s not about having the newest equipment, but how one applies the tools at hand. 

Data-driven conditioning and injury prevention

To avoid overtraining, particularly in high-demand sports like basketball and swimming, the PT team works closely with coaches. They use periodization plans and monitoring “contact points,” which measure foot-to-ground impact in plyometric exercises.

“We don’t duplicate [training]. Let’s say, if the coach does Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays—and a lot of jumping and running is involved, and then Tuesday, Thursdays kami, then we’re not gonna incorporate running and jumping. We’re gonna do something else. So we do split programs, and we make sure we cycle the exercise,” the PT coach explained. 

The data-informed decisions, which they collect regularly, help avoid fatigue and allow athletes to peak at the right time.

Calls amidst constraints

Despite these efforts, challenges remain. With over a dozen athletes per trainer across a wide range of disciplines, individualized attention—a cornerstone of safe and effective training—is compromised.

“We need funding. We need facilities… The ones we have here [are]—we’re grateful we have it, but—it’s [kind of] old…1998, gano’n na ‘yon eh. So we just don’t need funding, we need support,” Mallari emphasized.

In addition, he emphasized the need for bigger facilities to cater to the development of more athletes, hence the need for newer equipment. The PT team is calling for sustained investment, not just in infrastructure but also in the broader athletic ecosystem, to meet growing demands and keep athletes competitive and injury-free.

In relation, the team has also been utilizing the Microsoft suite for documenting, testing, evaluating scores, and collecting all the details necessary to analyze the performance of the Patriots. As of press time, the renewal of Microsoft 365 is still pending—a delay that can potentially affect their operations.

Starts with awareness, continues with guidance

Education is just as important as conditioning. Before, during, and after every training session, athletes are taught about body mechanics, injury prevention, and rationale-based movement. These interactions instill habits that will serve athletes long after the season ends.

In the end, DLSU-D’s PT team is not just treating injuries or enhancing performance—they’re planning to build a future where science, technology, and thoughtful strategy guide every move.

For Mallari, sports science isn’t about chasing the next gadget or trend. It’s about building sustainable systems that elevate athletes physically and mentally. It’s quality over quantity and strategy over brute force.

“If you’re into training, if you’re an athlete… we really need to have a good sports and conditioning or even PT rehab team that could work with coaches. ‘Yon ‘yung crucial,” said Mallari.

Originally published in Heraldo Filipino Volume 39, Issue 2