Tracking Strength with Precision
It is important to be able to track a patient’s strength during their physical therapy. Most patients come in with weakness of various muscle groups, and they don’t know how to objectively measure or track how strong a certain muscle is.
Here at Aspen Ridge Physical Therapy in Layton and Syracuse, UT, we have hand held dynamometry devices that allow us to put an objective measure on someone’s strength. This is very important to both the patient and the insurance company to be able to track the patient’s progress.
Precision Matters
Tracking Strength with a Dynamometer
When you come in, your physical therapist will use a dynamometer to measure the peak force your injured muscle produces. We will then document that objective number, and then re-test throughout your plan of care and provide measurable results that show you progress.
These devices are very accurate and have been proven through multiple evidence based tests to have high levels of inter-rater and intra-rater reliability. The inter and intra-rater reliability is about 0.9 in multiple studies, which essentially means there is a 90% agreement in the data between two different practitioners testing the same patient, as well as two different tests by the same practitioner on different occasions.
Below are some of the benefits from using a dynamometer to measure strength:
- Accurately measure peak and average force generated from a muscle
- You can track data, objectively providing peak force strength data to both the patient and insurance company to demonstrate progress
- Ability to evaluate any muscle group
- Accurately measure active and passive range of motion as well
- Be able to objectively track patient’s strength progress throughout their plan of care
- Access to an app with all data stored
Targeted Strength Assessments for Faster Recovery
Come in and allow one of our trained physical therapists at Aspen Ridge Physical Therapy in Layton or Syracuse, UT do a strength assessment of your injured muscle(s). We will then provide a customized exercise plan designed to help improve and restore your functional strength.