VALD x PhysioWest
by Stacey Morcom
How data can help you unlock your potential.
We are excited to announce that PhysioWest has introduced some new technology!
PhysioWest now offers assessment with the VALD DynaMo range across both our clinics and our home visits. So exciting! But what is VALD? And what does this new technology mean for you? This blog post will introduce this technology and demonstrate how our clinical team is using it to help you achieve your dream outcomes both in the treatment room and in the gym or on the sports field.
Let’s get started!
Who is VALD?
VALD is an international company specialising in technology for assessing and treating musculoskeletal issues. VALD partners with many elite athletes, both sporting and tactical and you might have seen their technology being used to assess NRL or AFL players during on and off seasons amongst other elite populations. You can find VALD via their website > https://valdperformance.com/
What Is VALD DynaMo?
VALD DynaMo is a dynamometer – a device used to measure force or power which may be measured in Kilograms (kg) or Newton-meters (Newton’s). If you have ever used a portable luggage scale then you’ve used a dynamometer!
The VALD DynaMo can tell us how much force your body can produce during particular movements like pushing or pulling or moving your arms or legs, and how fast you can produce that force – meaning how powerful or dynamic your actions are, as well as strength measurements. It also contains an inclinometer for measuring your range of movement or joint mobility.
And all of this happens as live data for you to see during testing and can be analysed immediately by our clinicians on the VALD app.
So what’s it used for in our clinics?
VALD DynaMo’s allow our clinicians to show you live data in clear units during your test. We use this to help demonstrate things like:
Right vs. left asymmetries
Pre-operative vs. Post-operative changes
Pre-season vs. mid-season vs. Post-season strength and conditioning changes
Progress made over your treatment journey
This information helps both you and our clinicians visualise and track changes to your body over the course of your therapy journey. We can use this information to set SMART goals together to make sure your therapy is taking you where you want to be and beyond!
Who should be assessed?
The short answer is anyone! You don’t have to be an elite athlete or recovering from an injury to benefit from assessment with the VALD DynaMo’s. While these are the people we often picture using technology to assess their bodies, the benefit of having numerical data to track progress and changes over time benefits everyone, even those without injuries or ambitions to be the next GOAT.
VALD DynaMo assessments can be for:
Athletes: weekend warriors to professionals and up and coming junior athletes can all benefit from understanding their unique body dynamics to help improve performance and prevent injuries. Those returning to sport after injury also benefit from being able to compare their measurements to cutting-edge research on when it is safe to return to high-impact sports.
Injured: whether it’s a niggling ache or an acute injury, having clear ways to track your recovery and highlight what needs work means more targeted and personalised treatments for faster and better recovery.
Pre-surgery: If you are awaiting surgery for any issue, having assessments pre and post-op can help you understand how your body changes and recovers as a result. While leg surgeries like joint replacements or ACL reconstructions stand out, even seemingly unrelated surgeries like abdominal operations can cause deconditioning and may require rehabilitation work.
Motivation Issues: Love setting goals but then fall short of hitting them? If you struggle with maintaining momentum towards achieving your health and wellbeing goals then knowing your starting points and tracking progress can help with motivation and knowing where you are in your journey. Our clinicians can help you use VALD data to set SMART goals, work towards them together and celebrate when you achieve them!
You love numbers and data: If spreadsheets make your heart beat faster but you find it difficult to work on your health goals then why not combine the two? VALD data is available as a PDF report including graphs and normative comparisons which can be provided to you after your sessions so you can keep track of your numbers to your heart’s content.
You have a body and a goal: Big or Small, if you have set yourself a goal like running a marathon, hiking to base camp, improving your golf handicap or just being able get on and off the floor to play with your grandkids, VALD DynaMo assessments can provide you and your clinician valuable insights into your abilities and musculoskeletal needs to achieve your health and wellbeing goals.
What happens in an assessment?
Your Physiotherapist or Exercise Physiologist should always talk to you about your therapy goals, wants and needs at the start of an assessment regardless of if VALD is being used or not. Once we know what your goals are that helps us decide what to measure with the VALD DynaMo.
The therapist might ask you to perform a number of movements in sitting, standing or lying down while either holding the VALD DynaMo against your body or using some of the additional straps or clips to make sure you can achieve the best quality measurement.
You will be able to see live data recording as you are completing the assessment on either a tablet or phone app.
Once assessment is complete your clinician can then take you through what your scores mean along with the visual representations of your personal data and provide this as a digital or paper report for you to keep!
This data continues to build with each re-assessment so we can show your progress over time by comparing your results in an easy to read format.
How do I get a VALD DynaMo assessment?
Just book in to see any of our Physiotherapists or Exercise Physiologists. VALD assessments are available to all our clients as part of our regular services, no special appointment required! If you’re really keen then please mention your interest in VALD when booking so your clinician can make sure the technology is available in your very first session.
Let Me Sum Up….
We are so excited to be able to offer this state-of-the-art technology to our clients for an elevated rehabilitation experience! Our team is thrilled to be able to use the VALD DynaMo technology to help you set, achieve and work beyond your health goals.
If you are interested in trying a VALD assessment or want to learn more about us and how VALD DynaMo assessments could help you achieve your goals, book online via the link below or call us on 8352 3582!
Thanks!