Importance of Accurate Strength Testing for Performance Therapy

Force Dynamometer for Strength Testing in Recovery and Performance Therapy

Struggling with single leg squats? Pain in knee, hip, or ankle? Have you tried every possible mobility exercise and functional exercise out there? Finding the root cause takes proper testing. One important tool to discover imbalances and specific muscle group deficits is through force dynamometer testing.

     Performance physical therapists often use a combination of exercises, mobility, and manual techniques to treat pain and improve performance. However, some cases require more detailed and targeted testing to pinpoint the underlying issues. That's where force dynamometer testing comes into play.

     Force dynamometer is a machine used to measure the strength and power of specific muscles and muscle groups. The machine is equipped with sensors that can detect even small changes in force and power production. By measuring the force and power of different muscle groups, performance physical therapists can identify areas of weakness and imbalance that may be contributing to pain and performance issues.

     During force dynamometer testing, patients perform specific movements while connected to the machine. The performance physical therapist can then observe the patient's strength and power output and make adjustments as needed. By measuring the force output of different muscles and muscle groups, performance physical therapists can identify areas of weakness and imbalance that may be contributing to pain and performance issues.

     For example, a patient experiencing knee pain during single leg squats may be found to have weak gluteus medius muscles, which are important stabilizers of the hip joint. By identifying this specific weakness through force dynamometer testing, the performance physical therapist can create a targeted exercise plan to strengthen these muscles and improve overall performance.

     In addition to identifying areas of weakness and imbalance, force dynamometer testing can also help performance physical therapist track progress over time. By regularly testing muscle strength and power, performance physical therapists can monitor improvements and adjust treatment plans and programming as needed.

     Overall, force dynamometer testing is a valuable tool in the arsenal of performance physical therapists. By measuring the strength and power of specific muscles and muscle groups, physical therapists can identify areas of weakness and imbalance that may be contributing to pain and performance issues. Using a force dynamometer, is a much more accurate tool that can allow us to locate the problem faster and more efficiently. Standard manual testing just won't cut it for performance based indifivudalt and won't be enough to get to the root of most people's pain or movement deficits. So, if you're struggling with pain or performance issues, consider talking to your performance physical therapist about the benefits of force dynamometer testing.

     If your looking to get accurate force/ strength testing in the Jupiter and Vero Beach so you can get to the root cause of your pain in order to perform at the highest level. Call us today and set up a free discovery call or schedule an appointment now!

-Dr. Alec Spano, PT, DPT, CSCS, Cert DN, Pn1

Previous
Previous

Exercise Progression in Sports Performance Physical Therapy

Next
Next

Recovery Tools in Jupiter and Vero Beach Florida