Baseline Testing For Return To Play
How Performance Testing can Impact your Return-To-Play after Injury
Everyone likes performance testing. It is exciting to learn how fast you are, how high you can jump or how strong you are. It also gives you objective markers to watch your improvement from completing a training program.
Previously, medical providers also liked to perform testing as a means to try to “predict injury.” While great in theory, this prediction model has not panned out, unfortunately there are to many factors that contribute to injury to complete a few simple tests and predict who will get hurt.
However, there is still value in using this performance testing to gather objective baseline data to compare to when you come back from injury. It is extremely common to have a baseline concussion test before the season, this allows medical providers to compare your current state after a concussion to your previously “un-concussed” self.
“If we don’t have this pre-injury baseline data, we are left guessing and using standard “norms” comparing you to an average population.”
Our goal is to provide this same opportunity to athletes returning from injury with our force plates. If we collect your baseline strength and jump measurements, we can compare your current status to your pre-injury status. We will be able to tell you that “you have 80% of the strength you had before injury” or “your favoring your un-involved side by 30%.” This will allow us to design a rehab program and continually retest until you return to a level that you are able to return to the field.
If we don’t have this pre-injury baseline data, we are left guessing and using standard “norms” comparing you to an average population. Having this data will help us make better decisions in your return-to-play process and help you get back on the field as soon as you are prepared.
Please contact us today if you or your team would be interested in undergoing a baseline performance test with our force plates.