VALD Force deck systems- Strength in numbers

New to Aspire physio in Liverpool is the VALD Performance ForceDecks – Dual Force Plate System 

At Aspire physiotherapy in Liverpool we aim to be the best place for rehabilitation. The ForceDecks are pioneered to measure, train and monitor athletic strength; the world’s fastest, easiest and most powerful dual plate system for analysing neuromuscular strength and imbalance.

One-click analysis.

The force platforms have long been confined to university laboratories, but ForceDecks finally makes them accessible and practical for day-to-day use in fast-paced high-performance clinical settings.

ForceDecks allows quick and easy assessment of stability, strength, and movement, and it’s all analysed with a single click.

ForceDecks dual force plates also enable unparalleled insights into neuromuscular performance, asymmetries, and movement strategies to help improve health and performance.

Gather real-time feedback on isometric, dynamic and ballistic movements

We are able to complete an upper or lower body assessment in less than a minute with auto-detection and auto-analysis. You are able to view your results from multiple different movements in quick succession speeding up the test process and displaying immediate results for strength and imbalance comparison.

ForceDecks software can automatically detect and analyse key movement phases during a range of jumping, isometric and strength exercises, something that would’ve traditionally taken hours of painstaking manual analysis.

Force plate – what are the benefits of the most advanced force meter in the sports industry

In sports, these platforms are used to analyze the thrusts given by an athlete during his walk, running or other physical exercises, such as jumping.  The force platform detects and measures accelerations, reaction times and possible thrust defects, meaning that it can be of excellent support during training for performance evaluations of competing and rehabilitating athletes.

 How the force plate is used

The two main directions of use of the platform are those of prevention and performance. Postural stability, jumping and landing are the main areas of preventive investigation, to avoid injuries due to posture and the way in which certain movements are made.

As far as performance measurement is concerned, on the other hand, the exercises on the force plate involve various types of jumping and extension, to measure parameters such as power and height of the jump, or more basic locomotion movements, such as sprints, walks or agility drills.

Especially with jumping movements, force plates have proven to be a key element in the analysis of the athlete’s performance. Jumping tests on force platforms are extremely repeatable, reliable, and easy to conduct. The configuration time for each individual athlete is practically non-existent and large groups can be tested in rapid succession.

In addition, it is very difficult to cheat any kind of test on a force plate, either to mask an injury or pain or to appear stronger, faster, or more powerful than one really is, for the simple fact that you cannot cheat physics.

In which sports is the force plate useful?

In addition to athletics, the force plate has multiple uses in other sports. Football, volleyball, basketball, and all sports in which there are stresses related to posture, jumping and levers.

Putting all the strength we have on the ground correctly is in fact fundamental both for the result and for the prevention of injuries, as already pointed out, but also for the correct delivery of physical effort.

Below are some other tests which we can do on the Force plate.

In summary, a force plate is an instrument that allows to detect and measure the force that are produced during physical exercise, it provides us with numbers which we track in order to optimise your rehabilitation and recovery after injury.