Sports Performance
and Return
to Play
Control Bionics’ surface EMG technology captures neuromuscular signals that althletes, coaches, performance scientists, and clinicians cannot observe with the naked eye, delivering objective data for athletic performance enhancement, profiling, and return to play decision-making.
Sports Science
Train what you cannot see. Recover with certainty.
Most performance and rehabilitation work is limited to what the eye can see, technique, output, visible movement. Control Bionics surface EMG technology goes upstream, capturing the electrical signals that drive muscle activation before and during movement.
The result is a new layer of insight that changes how athletes train, how practitioners profile, and how clinicians make return to play decisions.
All this whilst working seamlessly and in partnership with your existing technology.
Performance
Most athletes regularly activate 50-60% of available muscle fibers. Surface EMG technology trains the brain to increase that activation to 70-90%, translating directly into gains in explosiveness, power, and speed.
The NeuroStrip, Control Bionics’ wearable sEMG sensor, is purpose-built for sport deployment. Wireless, adhesive, and weighing just 4 grams, it captures real-time neuromuscular data during training without restricting movement or requiring lab equipment.
Working with established protocols, athletes using NeuroStrip technology have achieved measurable performance improvements in as little as two to four weeks.
The results below are from athletes who completed all NeuroBounce sessions and protocols.
Average increase in explosive output
Increase in vertical jump
Increase in lateral leap
Improvement in three-quarter court sprint time
Profiling
Traditional athlete profiling relies on what can be observed, strength tests, movement screens, force plate data. Surface EMG goes deeper, revealing the neuromuscular activity that drives those outputs. Activation deficits, asymmetries between limbs, and muscle recruitment patterns that predict injury risk, all visible before they become clinical problems.
The NeuroStrip delivers this capability in real-world conditions, without lab infrastructure. Applied in seconds, it captures objective neuromuscular data across multiple muscle groups simultaneously, building profiles that inform training load, technique intervention, and injury prevention decisions.
In-use profiling applications
500+ athletes used this profiling across American Football, Basketball, Baseball, Soccer, and Volleyball, establishing baseline neuromuscular data and concussion return to play protocols.
Baseline neuromuscular assessment
Injury screening and risk identification
Fatigue and activation tracking across the season
Concussion return to play protocol integration
Return to Play
Return to play decisions carry significant clinical and commercial risk.
Surface EMG technology provides objective neuromuscular data that takes the guesswork out of clearance, showing exactly what is happening inside a recovering muscle, not just what a clinician can observe from the outside.
The NeuroStrip has been used across orthopaedic and neurological rehabilitation settings to accelerate recovery, identify hidden muscle recruitment deficits, and build the objective evidence base that supports confident return to play decisions.
Clinician Story
“The NeuroStrip system is the most impactful advancement I’ve seen in 30 years. It empowers therapists to go beyond basic strengthening and uncover hidden deficits in muscle recruitment, especially in patients who have stopped progressing.”
Steve, Physical Therapist (30+ years experience, Houston Rehabilitation Institute)
Case study 1
Vertical Jump Performance
Athlete Profile
Senior high school basketball player. Goal: increase explosive power and vertical jump height to improve on-court performance.
NeuroStrip impact
NeuroBounce jumping program using NeuroStrip EMG tracking, commenced September 2022. Neural feedback enabled targeted muscle activation training to increase recruitment and explosiveness..
Results
Vertical jump increased by 5–6 inches. Measurable improvements in rebounding, finishing, and dunking performance on court.
Patient Quote
"After seeing his results I would absolutely tell people to put their kids into this program." — Britton Johnsen, Former NBA Player
Case study 2
ACL Recovery with BFR Integration
Patient Profile
Similar post-op ACL presentation with deficits in quad activation during sport movements.
NeuroStrip impact
NeuroStrip combined with Blood Flow Restriction training. Squat jump EMG improved from 150μV to 280μV. One-legged mini squat EMG rose from 150μV to 300μV. BFR added an extra 50μV consistently across exercises.
Results in 3 Visits
Single-leg hop improved by 6 inches. Sprint time dropped from 6.0 to 5.0 seconds. KOS score increased from 77 to 84. Patient transitioned to independent gym training.
Patient Quote
"I saw a huge improvement in just a few days and an increase in muscle activation. I strongly encourage others to do the same."
Case study 3
Stroke Rehabilitation: From Wheelchair to Walking
Patient Profile
Stroke with right middle cerebral artery clot. Flaccid left lower extremity after 5 months of conventional rehabilitation. Wheelchair-bound with maximum assist required for transfers.
NeuroStrip Rehabilitation Journey
Initial quad activation: 25μV. Gradual increase to 100μV using operant conditioning. Standing EMG improved to 180μV. Combined with neuromuscular stimulation for accelerated strengthening.
Functional Outcomes
Patient progressed to full weight-bearing without hyperextension. Walked 20 feet with hemi-walker. Improved hip flexion enabled independent leg advancement. Became an independent ambulator using a quad cane.
28% average increase in explosive output
Achieved through NeuroStrip-powered neuromuscular training in the NeuroBounce program. Results from athletes who completed all sessions and protocols.
Detects signals as small as 1-2 microvolts
The signal sensitivity required for late-stage neurological rehabilitation and elite performance profiling.
500+ athletes profiled
Across American Football, Basketball, Baseball, Soccer, and Volleyball using NeuroStrip baseline neuromuscular assessment protocols.
Only sEMG technology with its own CMS Medicare code
The NeuroNode is the only sEMG technology with Medicare billing recognition, reflecting over two decades of clinical validation in neuromuscular signal technology.
See the technology in action.
Request a demonstration or contact our team to discuss how Control Bionics surface EMG technology can be deployed in your performance or rehabilitation program.