Your foot is a unique structure that is required to absorb shock and be rigid enough to propel your body forward with activity. These functions are opposite in nature and for your foot to work optimally it is crucial that it can adapt to the different demands placed upon it. If your foot cannot perform these functions, injury can set in not only in the foot but also in other joints such as the knee, hip and back.
What is a Force Platform?
The force platform is an integrated system used to assess how your body weight is distributed through your foot. It is comprised of a ground platform using the latest technology to feed specific information into a computer.
This system can assess and measure how your foot contacts the ground on both static standing and in walking. Accurate assessment is important, as the foot is a reflection of your postural stance and the musculoskeletal tension of the body.
Why should I be assessed using the Force Platform?
In order to optimally assess and understand the forces acting on your feet in different positions, the force platform technology provides the most comprehensive analysis available to date. In conjunction with this you will be assessed using complimentary tests such as video gait analysis, biomechanical and postural analysis and joint movement testing.
Static Analysis
What is a Static Analysis?
Static analysis is an assessment of your feet and posture while you are standing still.
Why do we use Static Analysis?
This provides information on your weight distribution and forces going through different part of your feet. This data will help determined the positioning of your centre of gravity and the possible musculo-skeletal tensions.
What will I be required to do?
You will stand up right and relaxed on the platform with your two feet comfortably displayed. The information is then fed into the computer to give an immediate graphic representation of both feet that can be interpreted.
Dynamic Analysis
What is Dynamic Analysis?
The dynamic analysis consists in recording data with the force platform while you are in movement.
Why do we use Dynamic Analysis?
Dynamic analysis is used to evaluate the complexity of the gait cycle (ie:movement in walking, running etc) and the forces through the foot.
This information is broken down and analysed to determine your gait and biomechanics of your lower limb (ie:movement pattern) in order to assess the causes of your injury.
What will I be required to do?
You will be asked to take several free steps through the platform. Once again, the information is fed back into the computer.
