Force Plate Testing

Force Plate Analysis

£72.95

Unlock your performance and recovery with Oriam’s Force Plate Analysis.
Using cutting-edge VALD technology, our 1:1 assessments provide precise insights into strength, power, balance, and movement patterns. Whether you’re returning from injury or looking to optimise athletic performance, force plate testing supports targeted rehabilitation and personalised training.

Force Plate Testing

Force plates are advanced tools used in exercise testing to measure the forces exerted by the body during various movements. They are instrumental in assessing strength, power, balance, and movement patterns, providing valuable insights for athletes, coaches, and rehabilitation specialists.

At Oriam Clinic we use the VALD Force plate system to assess physical performance and help in directing/guiding the rehabilitation we prescribe.

Force plate testing can be booked as a 1:1 consultation.  They are also embedded in the rehabilitation packages with monthly testing carried out in the group rehabilitation sessions (The ACL rehab programme and the Hip/Knee rehabilitation package).

What Are Force Plates?

Force plates are platforms equipped with sensors that detect ground reaction forces—essentially, the forces your body applies to the ground during activities like standing, jumping, or lifting. These sensors capture data such as force magnitude, direction, and timing, which can be analysed to evaluate performance and movement efficiency.

Applications in Exercise Testing

  1. Performance Assessment

Force plates are widely used to evaluate athletic performance metrics, including:

  • Vertical Jump Height: Indicates lower body power.
  • Rate of Force Development (RFD): Measures how quickly force is produced, crucial for explosive movements.
  • Reactive Strength Index: Assesses the ability to absorb and produce force rapidly, important for agility and plyometric activities.

These metrics help in identifying strengths and areas for improvement, guiding training programs.

  1. Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation

Force plates play a critical role in monitoring recovery and preventing injuries by:

  • Identifying Asymmetries: Detecting differences in force application between limbs, which can indicate compensatory movements or imbalances.unionpt.com
  • Assessing Balance and Stability: Evaluating postural control and weight distribution to identify potential fall risks or instability.
  • Monitoring Progress: Tracking changes in force metrics over time to assess recovery and readiness to return to sport.

  1. Biomechanical Analysis

By analyzing force-time curves and movement patterns, force plates provide insights into:

  • Movement Efficiency: Understanding how effectively force is applied during activities.
  • Technique Optimization: Identifying areas where technique can be improved to enhance performance and reduce injury risk.
  • Load Management: Guiding adjustments in training loads based on individual force profiles.

Benefits of Using Force Plates

  • Objective Data: Provides quantifiable measurements that reduce reliance on subjective assessments.  This offers us real data to allow far more effective rehabilitation and recovery strategies and allows us to focus on your rehabilitation to what you really need
  • Personalized Training: Allows for tailored exercise programs based on individual force profiles.
  • Enhanced Recovery: Facilitates monitoring of rehabilitation progress and readiness to return to activity.  This testing is done as part of the return to sport protocol we offer at Oriam Clinic
  • Injury Risk Reduction: Helps in identifying and addressing movement deficiencies before they lead to injury.

In summary, force plates are invaluable tools in exercise testing, offering detailed insights into performance, biomechanics, and rehabilitation. Their application spans from elite athletic training to clinical rehabilitation, making them essential for optimizing movement and preventing injuries.