Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
It is unlikely that Sir Isaac Newton ever imagined how his third law of motion would be applied in modern athletic training. It is now an integral part of VALD Performance’s power plate technology offered at OrthoKansas and LMH Health Therapy Services – the only location in the region to provide this technology for everyday athletes and orthopedic patients.
VALD power plates
Power plates are used in testing and training to help you achieve your performance goals and prevent injury. They use sensors to detect differences in forces on the ground that therapists may not be able to see with the naked eye.
“Our team can look at a patient’s bodyweight squat, especially for those who have trouble defecating — or not bearing weight — on their limbs,” said Danny Larson, a physical therapist at the LMH Health West Campus. “This technology allows us to get objective feedback to inform our rehabilitation plan. The feedback shows the therapist what a patient needs to work on and how to focus his training.”
Benefits for rehabilitation and training
Athletes who use the VALD power plates at OrthoKansas benefit from understanding how well they put weight on their limbs after injury or surgery. Larson shared that research shows that people unknowingly relieve or prefer a limb after an injury for an extended period of time, even after they feel that the recovery is complete.
“The problem with this unconscious load is that it can increase the risk of new injuries, causing you to spend more time off the field or track,” he said. “Knowing how to put weight on your limbs helps steer your training program so you’re doing the best possible things to get you back on the field and keep you there.”
Loading Pattern Feedback
Patients can also use the plate technology to see live how they strain their limbs. This helps the patient and therapist ensure that they are doing good reps during the training so that they can make the most of their time and effort.
Not only athletes benefit from the use of the power plates. Luis Salazar, MD, a sports medicine physician at OrthoKansas, said many patients with lower limb injuries could benefit from this technology.
“Strength plates are a great tool to assess discrepancies between loading, jumping, force development and symmetry between the left and right sides of the body,” he said. “I have referred a number of patients to our sports physiotherapists and incorporated the technology into their rehabilitation.”
dr. Salazar emphasized that getting feedback from the plates does not extend the length of an individual therapy appointment, as it only takes a few minutes to get feedback.
“Patients using the force plates receive immediate feedback, awareness and understanding of their progress. It helps us provide an accurate timeline for their recovery,” he said.
Knee replacement patients reap the benefits
Data collection
An ongoing study by OrthoKansas and the physical therapists at West Campus is looking at load patterns (or the amount of weight on one side of the body versus the other) over time for patients undergoing knee replacement, both before and after. the operation .
“The force plates can really benefit knee replacement patients by helping them understand how they are putting stress on their new knee over time. Putting a higher load on either knee may play a role in speeding up their knee replacement. pain and arthritis in other joints,” Larson explained. “The results of their testing help design training programs to facilitate proper loading and weight distribution of their legs.”
The study currently has data collected from about 75 patients and plans to reassess their progress at regular intervals.
“With nearly 400 total knee replacements completed last year by the three primary joint replacement surgeons at OrthoKansas, the ability to increase the number of participants can really help provide stronger analysis of the data. identifying common trends that our patients exhibit after total knee replacements, which helps to optimize their outcomes,” Larson said.
Advanced technology
Incorporating technology into patient rehabilitation is not new to the LMH Health team, it is something that is widely used. West Campus therapists have access to state-of-the-art technology to provide feedback on strength, stability and gait.
Isokinetic Testing Machine
LMH Health has an isokinetic testing machine, one of the few in the state of Kansas. The machine provides the most objective measure of joint function after injury or surgery for both upper and lower limbs.
“Isokinetic tests allow us to assess discrepancies in motion, strength and stability,” said Dr. salazar. “This technology allows us to know what level our patients are at and what needs further attention, allowing us to personalize their training and rehabilitation exercises.”
When runners are looking for expertise on their running mechanics, LMH Health also provides them with answers. The RunStrong team conducts an exam to make objective assessments and uses video analysis to measure cadence, foot strike and highlight gaps in a runner’s form and technique.
While OrthoKansas and LMH Health have the suppliers, facilities and advanced technology to raise the bar for patients through treatment and recovery, Dr. Salazar that communication is essential.
“It is vital that the patient communicates with their physical therapist to understand what their treatment plan entails,” he said. “We want you to be actively involved so that you are back on your feet and safely return to your pre-injury performance as soon as possible.”
To take advantage of the very latest technology in your own backyard, turn to LMH Health and OrthoKansas for care. We treat patients of all ages and abilities and provide expert care that is exceptional for a community hospital – it is among the best anywhere.
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