By Kaitlyn Keyser, PT, DPT, SCS, ATC, CSCS, Clinic Director of Spooner Sports Institute, Ernest Atkins, CSCS, and Brian Bettner PT, DPT, and Clinic Director of Spooner Mesa Gateway
In the recovery process, you may hear the phrase “trust the process.” At Spooner, while we do believe this is true, we would also rather SHOW you the process with real definitive data, in real time.
Progress in sports rehab in the past has always depended on a physical therapist’s trained eye and clinical judgment. Now, we can pair that with real time data that a patient can follow alongside. With sports technology built into our clinics, you can see clear numbers that show how your strength and movement are improving, and when your body is ready to return to sport.
VALD Force Decks Measure Your Strength, Balance, and Power
Force plates are the gold standard for measuring how an athlete interacts with the ground. As we’ve discussed in our deep dive into VALD technology, we use these plates at the Spooner Sports Institute to accurately measure your force output. This allows us to find muscular imbalances between your right and left sides.
During standardized jump testing, the plates show us exactly how you load your weight, your explosive power, and your ‘braking’ strategy. This tells us if your joints and muscles can safely absorb the force you produce, which is key to preventing non-contact injuries.