THE SCIENCE BEHIND FORCEDECKS
ForceDecks turns the slow and cumbersome force platform data analysis process into one that is simple, rapid and intuitive that meets the time constraints of elite sport
OUR STORY
The idea for ForceDecks came during a 2002 pre-season training camp with the then-EPL champions, where Dr. Daniel Cohen and Dr. Phil Graham-Smith were implementing testing using a single force platform. The available software only allowed data to be analysed manually, an extremely time-consuming and cumbersome process – inspiring the development of an alternative software to analyse and interpret data faster and in a more accessible way. Separately, they were pioneering the use of dual-platform testing, valuable data on compensatory strategies unobtainable from a single-platform system. Force platform software has traditionally been designed for and used by scientific researchers and does not meet the time restraints or specific demands of elite sports. ForceDecks software has been specifically developed for use by practitioners in the sports and clinical environment with three key objectives: minimising the time spent testing; providing immediate feedback to athlete and practitioner that is easy to interpret; and making the assessment of large groups of athletes practical. The whole process from athlete selection to data visualisation of 3 jumps can be complete in less than 1 minute.