Contents
- Introduction
- What are ForceDecks?
- What do ForceDecks measure?
- What vary of exams can ForceDecks carry out?
- How are ForceDecks metrics calculated?
- Are ForceDecks validated?
- How does ForceDecks’ reporting work?
- Are there every other key options of the ForceDecks software program?
- Fashions and specs
- How can practitioners get ForceDecks?
- How a lot do ForceDecks price?
- Wrapping Up
Introduction
Drive plates are a vital software in sports activities science and healthcare, offering invaluable insights into efficiency, harm threat administration and rehabilitation.
Among the many many choices out there to practitioners, VALD’s ForceDecks Twin Drive Plate System is broadly thought-about the world chief. Identified for his or her precision, detailed knowledge evaluation and user-friendly interface, ForceDecks are trusted by hundreds of groups and organisations worldwide, from the Premier League to the NFL, NBA to AFL, and extra.
New to pressure plates and wish to know extra? VALD has revealed a free eBook to assist professionals perceive and incorporate them into their follow: the Practitioner’s Information to Drive Plates.
What are ForceDecks?
ForceDecks are twin pressure plates, combining superior {hardware} and software program in an easy-to-use system, designed to assist practitioners gather and interpret goal measurements throughout numerous isometric, steadiness and dynamic exams.
Utilizing precision load cell sensors, ForceDecks precisely seize forces exerted by a person throughout a variety of actions. The info is wirelessly transmitted to the ForceDecks app on iPhone or iPad and subsequently uploaded to VALD Hub, the place it may be analysed and managed in a centralised platform.
This enables practitioners to measure neuromuscular efficiency from a variety of dynamic and isometric exams, offering metrics for unilateral and bilateral limb efficiency and inter-limb asymmetries.
ForceDecks might be utilised in numerous features of affected person or athlete care, together with evaluation, coaching, monitoring and rehabilitation, offering beneficial insights for data-informed decision-making.
A glance inside ForceDecks displaying how every plate’s 4 load cell sensors are organized to measure the pressure utilized to the highest of the plate.
What do ForceDecks measure?
At a basic degree, ForceDecks – like all pressure plates – measure two easy inputs: pressure and time. From these inputs, a variety of pressure derivates might be calculated, similar to energy, velocity, displacement, acceleration and impulse, offering a staggering vary of outputs from a comparatively easy uncooked knowledge supply (referred to as the force-time curve, proven beneath).
The three pressure traces displayed within the ForceDecks app signify left (blue), proper (orange) and whole (gray) pressure.
From the pressure knowledge, ForceDecks mechanically generates a variety of pressure derivatives that may have beforehand wanted to be calculated manually:
- The acceleration-time curve is derived utilizing pressure = mass x acceleration
- The middle of mass velocity is calculated by integrating acceleration over time
- The facility-time curve is generated utilizing energy = pressure x velocity
Additionally, not like many conventional pressure plates, ForceDecks is a twin plate system that captures detailed bilateral knowledge, providing deeper insights into asymmetries and motion patterns.
ForceDecks may pinpoint and observe middle of stress (CoP) due to their capability to measure every sensor’s output individually.
ForceDecks learn forces from every of their sensors independently – fairly than merely summed into a world studying – permitting them to trace CoP, which is crucial for steadiness testing.
CoP metrics are calculated by analysing the purpose of software of the bottom response pressure and assessing anterior-posterior and medial-lateral motion shifts in foot stress. Throughout steadiness exams, metrics similar to whole tour, imply velocity and the realm of the CoP ellipse are calculated.
Illustration of the CoP metrics calculated throughout steadiness testing.
Decrease values typically point out higher postural management, whereas larger values can sign potential steadiness points, which can be helpful for harm prevention and efficiency optimisation.
What vary of exams can ForceDecks carry out?
ForceDecks are essentially the most versatile commercially out there pressure plates, able to performing and mechanically analysing over 30 completely different exams in 4 major classes:
Overview of key exams out there with ForceDecks.
Every of those exams might be mechanically and comprehensively analysed by ForceDecks due to the delicate software program that powers them, offering insights into efficiency, fatigue, rehabilitation progress and steadiness.
ForceDecks’ Auto-Detect characteristic streamlines this course of even additional by mechanically recognising and analysing actions with out the necessity to pre-select the check kind, enabling environment friendly and seamless testing classes.
ForceDecks’ Auto-Detect characteristic in action, mechanically detecting an IMTP adopted by a CMJ (and subsequently, dynamic energy index) with out requiring any consumer enter.
How are ForceDecks metrics calculated?
ForceDecks makes use of lots of of algorithms developed by main biomechanists, sports activities scientists and researchers to transform uncooked knowledge into actionable metrics.
ForceDecks mechanically detects the beginning of motion and check kind, enabling seamless identification and evaluation of every repetition. By figuring out key moments and phases of every motion, ForceDecks then calculates a large number of metrics and shows them in real-time to the consumer. Because of this customers get complete, actionable insights into efficiency, symmetry and motion high quality that they will act upon instantly.
ForceDecks calculate lots of of various metrics throughout dozens of exams, together with:
Examples of frequent ForceDecks metrics, all calculated through the CMJ.
Are ForceDecks validated?
ForceDecks have been independently examined to make sure validity and reliability. An in depth validation research by Collings et al. (2023) demonstrated that ForceDecks present exact and constant measurements throughout numerous exams and situations (1).
The research in contrast ForceDecks with gold-standard laboratory pressure plates and located lower than 1% distinction in over 200 metrics, with a imply bias of underneath 2.5N (and 0.1mm for CoP) throughout all analysed exams, showcasing their excessive measurement accuracy and reliability.
For extra detailed insights and outcomes from the validation research, take a look at a abstract of the ForceDecks Validity and Reliability publication.
How does ForceDecks reporting work?
Throughout testing, the ForceDecks app shows real-time pressure knowledge, together with time sequence graphs and pressure traces. Key metrics similar to soar peak, peak energy, asymmetry and extra are additionally displayed instantly after every rep, creating a strong biofeedback loop.
Practitioners can customise these in-test outcomes to indicate the metrics that matter most to them and their athletes.
ForceDecks app displaying instantaneous, rep-by-rep outcomes.
After testing, the information is uploaded and saved in VALD Hub, the centralised platform that integrates all VALD programs and knowledge. With a single sign-on (SSO) system, VALD Hub permits customers to visualise, handle and analyse all their efficiency knowledge multi functional place.
An instance of an athlete profile overview in VALD Hub.
From detailed particular person athlete profiles to group monitoring dashboards, metric-specific experiences and uncooked knowledge, VALD Hub offers practitioners with a variety of knowledge visualisation choices to go well with their wants.
VALD Hub’s customisable group monitoring and benchmarking dashboards present a staff’s standing and/or efficiency at a look.
A singular characteristic of VALD Hub is its capability so as to add beneficial context to this knowledge utilizing built-in Norms. Norms present strong reference factors primarily based on tens of millions of knowledge factors, enhancing the understanding of an athlete’s or affected person’s efficiency.
Norms can be found for nearly all ForceDecks exams, metrics, age teams and genders and are conveniently overlaid on particular person profiles. This enables customers to trace progress over time, evaluate a person’s outcomes with related friends and confidently reply a generally requested query from athletes: “Was that outcome good?”
ForceDecks Norms (normative knowledge) built-in into VALD Hub.
Are there every other key options of the ForceDecks software program?
One of many standout options of ForceDecks software program is ForceDecks Imaginative and prescient.
This proprietary characteristic of ForceDecks permits customers to file video and pressure plate knowledge concurrently, which is mechanically time-synced and annotated with key landmarks, offering real-time suggestions to athletes and making it straightforward for them to know key phases of their actions.
ForceDecks Imaginative and prescient in motion – real-time video and pressure plate knowledge mechanically time-synced and annotated.
Fashions and Specs
ForceDecks can be found in three fashions, suited to completely different wants. All ForceDecks fashions characteristic industry-standard 1,000 Hz sampling charges, wi-fi connectivity and use the identical highly effective, intuitive ForceDecks app.
Unsure which is best for you? Take a look at VALD’s Purchaser’s Information to Drive Plates.
Key specs for every mannequin are listed right here:
Need to know extra? Take a look at the complete ForceDecks specs.
How can practitioners get ForceDecks?
Practitioners can subscribe to ForceDecks by getting in contact with the VALD staff. You’ll be linked with a Enterprise Improvement Supervisor (BDM) – most of whom are efficiency and/or well being practitioners themselves – to supply a quote and reply any questions you might have.
VALD’s staff offers personalised help and knowledgeable steering all through your onboarding and implementation course of, in addition to ongoing studying and improvement. The VALD staff prides themselves on respecting purchasers’ selections and making certain you derive most worth out of your ForceDecks.
How a lot do ForceDecks price?
VALD operates on a subscription-based pricing mannequin that ensures steady entry to improvements, complete help and all-inclusive pricing with no hidden prices. This mannequin consists of limitless software program updates, characteristic releases and a complete guarantee protecting repairs at no extra price.
To discover all the small print and advantages of our pricing mannequin, learn extra right here.
Conslusion
ForceDecks are a world-leading, field-based pressure plate expertise trusted by hundreds of efficiency organisations globally, together with the Premier League, NFL, NBA and extra. ForceDecks present unparalleled precision, detailed knowledge evaluation and ease of use.
ForceDecks assist improve practitioners’ understanding and software of biomechanics and efficiency, whatever the setting. Backed by VALD’s world staff of skilled professionals, practitioners are supported to make data-informed selections for coaching, harm threat administration and rehabilitation.
To be taught extra about ForceDecks, get in contact with VALD through e-mail or on social media: X, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
- Collings, T. J., Lima, Y. L., Dutaillis, B., and Bourne, M. N. (2024). Concurrent validity and test-retest reliability of VALD ForceDecks’ energy, steadiness, and motion evaluation exams. Journal of science and drugs in sport, S1440-2440(24)00144-0. Advance on-line publication.