VALD Force Decks Performance Testing

At Pro Sports Medicine our mission statement is to provide Elite level care usually reserved for profesisonal athletes to all... This is why we have invested in the VALD Force Decks system to our Cardiff based clinic. With VALD Force Decks embedded in our High Performance Rehab services, we can now give you detailed objective measures of your strength, power, asymmetry and more... WHAT IS VALD FORCE PLATE TESTING? Force Plates are large platforms that measure the forces of which we put into the ground when we perform a specific movement or exercise. JUMP, LAND, SQUAT, PUSH, PULL AND MORE.. VALD Force Decks automatically detect and analyse 15+ common force plate tests... they give us instant feedback, which provides us with incredibly valuable information that can be used to design rehab plans and strength programs that address deficits and work towards improvements. WHY DO WE DO IT? Testing gives us important information!!... Once an assessment has been completed, we generate a tailored report on the findings. The extensive data that we can gather through the use of this technology allows us to tailor your rehab and S&C performance-based programs to meet your individual needs to a greater level. By utilising the VALD software and database we can compare your results to detailed normative data by age, gender, sport and even your position within that sport. This can then provide you with specific goals in certain testing procedures to improve your overall performance. The instant visual feedback and ability to put a number on strength levels or asymmetries gives our clients full interaction and a better understanding of where improvements can be made. Giving you the edge for injury prevention and performance. At a later stage we can retest to see your progress, and whether you're ready for you to return to sport. WHAT INJURIES DO WE USE IT FOR? You don't have to be injured to ustilise our VALD Force Decks system. We often use it for Athlete profiling to idetifying any potential weaknesses or asymetries an individual may have. This can enhance performance and reduce the risk of developing an injury. For those who are recovering from injury, the data can be used for both acute and chronic injuries regardless of severity. From muscle/tendon strains & ligament sprains, to ongoing tendon related pain or biomechanical dysfunction. We can assess the performance of your lower limb muscles (hamstrings, calves, quadriceps), shoulder and back, once you are fit enough to do the tests, as they are maximal force. SOME OF THE TESTS WE PERFORM: Counter Movement Jump Why it’s done: Assessing our ability to express strength in an explosive manner, while assessing how we perform a landing component. What information it gives us: Concentric Impulse and Eccentric Deceleration Impulse (n/s) allow us to look at the force applied in both the take off and landing in the time performed. This also provides insight into limb asymmetry with ‘power production’, with Peak Landing Force Asymmetry % uncovering any bias due to strength or postoperative factors. Jump height (cm) describes the maximum vertical height of a movement involving air time that the body reaches. Peak Power (W/kg) then allows our data to be made relative to body weight (and can compare to others). Hop Tests / Drop Jumps Why it’s done: Performed as a means for measuring our low limb ‘stiffness’ which can play a big role in improving our running efficiency and jump performance. What information it gives us: Ground Contact Time is an important metric when aiming to improve the efficiency of each step we take. RSI or Reactive Strength Index (m/s) is a measurement of reactive jump capacity or ankle ‘stiffness’ and often displays how athlete’s handle plyometric exercises. This is displayed as the ratio between the jump height and the contact time. ASH TEST; Shoulder I – T – Y Why it’s done: Assessing shoulder strength through 3 common positions for overhead athletes and shoulder rehabilitation. What information it gives us: Peak force (N) is the maximum amount of force exerted from the body through a single movement. % Peak Force Asymmetry will provide insight into any deficits in strength from one limb to another. Impulse (n/s) is the measure of force over time and how we create momentum. A greater impulse means we can apply force at a quicker rate, resulting in improvements in tasks such as bowling, swimming, or serving a tennis ball. If you are interested in our Lower body or Upper body athlete profiling / VALD Force Decks testing system - please contact us using the form below or by calling us on 02920 76200 or eMail; [email protected]