Oct 5, 2017
Taking Force Platform Technology to the Next Step

NMP ForceDecks provides hardware and software solutions for integrating dual force platform technology. ForceDecks has taken technology that has historically been almost exclusively used within research settings and made it accessible to S&C professionals, ATC’s, and physiotherapists to use in their day-today operations in sports settings.

The hardware solution is the FD4000 dual force platform system, which assesses vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) in a range of jump variations and other dynamic and isometric upper and lower body tasks. The software can also be used with other force platforms such as AMTI, Bertec, Kistler, and Pasco. ForceDecks software allows practitioners to perform tests quickly and to analyze and visualize data with a single click and immediately view trends. Its simplicity and speed has been described as “game changing.” Force platform technology is not new, but ForceDecks has delivered a solution tailored to overcome the barriers previously limiting use of this technology in highperformance sport.

The assessment of vGRF allows practitioners to take their testing a crucial step further. While jump height gives us an athlete’s output, force platform technology provides intelligence on how they performed it. ForceDecks enables practitioners to quantify neuromuscular performance variables such as the rate of force development and eccentric duration that contribute to output and in doing so help to identify limiting factors across the movement and feedback on how a training intervention has or has not affected these characteristics. Additionally, we can assess interlimb force distribution asymmetry across key phases– concentric, eccentric and landing. This information is valuable in screening for injury risk and in rehabilitation/return to play scenarios. The landing phase, has major implications for sports where landings are a predominant injury mechanism and also as a marker of “load acceptance” during rehabilitation following ligament injuries across all sports.