Performance testing

The road to peak athletic performance begins with understanding your strengths and weaknesses. The sports performance specialists at Aurora BayCare Medical Center help you reach your next level with specific action plans.

Performance testing: Why choose Aurora BayCare Medical Center?

Our sports performance training specialists test your skills to help you overcome challenges and make the most of your strengths. Program highlights include:

• Demonstrated expertise: Our sports medicine specialists have extra training in athletic movement patterns. We focus on giving you a competitive edge.
• Leading-edge technology: We use tools such as Dartfish motion analysis to watch your movements and the Smartspeed timing system for speed data. We use this information to recommend adjustments in your training regimen.
• Personalized plans: Our specialists meet you where you are. We help you set achievable goals and provide tailored training plans to reach them based on the results of your performance testing.

Performance testing services for athletes

Our team assesses performance in athletes at all levels in all sports. We help you understand your current fitness and body mechanics. We offer:

Gait analysis

We use the Dartfish slow-motion video system to provide running gait analysis (review of your running form). Knowing how you move helps our movement specialists create plans to improve your speed and prevent injury. This system provides real-time feedback to help you adjust immediately.

We review this video with you and your child and make recommendations for improvement. Our trainers use this information to develop personalized workouts and drills.

Video analysis

We use video analysis systems and other sports technology to learn more about your child’s form during:

• Basketball shooting
• Golf swing
• Hitting
• Throwing

Metabolic testing

We analyze your resting metabolic rate to learn how your body uses energy at rest. Our specialists use this information to develop training programs and performance nutrition recommendations.

VO₂ max testing

Our team measures the most oxygen you can take in and use during intense exercise. This test tells our trainers how efficient your body is at delivering oxygen to your muscles during a workout.

To measure your VO₂ max, we:

• Connect you to equipment that measures your heart rate and blood pressure
• Place a tube in your mouth to collect the air you breathe out
• Have you begin running on a treadmill
• Increase the speed and grade of your workout

Our specialists check performance, heart rate and blood pressure throughout the workout. We use this information to learn your current VO₂ max score and create plans for improvement.

Your VO₂ max score is one measure of your physical fitness. Aerobic exercise (training that uses oxygen) and endurance training help improve your VO₂ max, even if you’re already performing at a high level.

Bike fitting

Our specialists offer bike fitting services to cyclists at all levels to make sure your bike fits you properly. We check your physical strengths and recommend the right foot, handlebar and saddle alignment. Proper bike fit helps you avoid injury and improves cycling efficiency.

Baseline testing

We use the ImPACT™ testing system to help with management in athletes at all levels and ages. We do this testing, which checks your child’s performance on problem solving and memory tasks, before injury occurs to establish a baseline.

Understanding more about your normal thinking helps us see how you’ve changed after a head injury. Our specialists provide this testing for individual athletes and teams.

Performance pitching

Our specialists offer pitching analysis and make strength and conditioning recommendations to help improve performance and reduce injury risk. We use the Dartfish video system to assess pitchers of all ages. Learn more about our performance pitching program.

Upper extremity return to sport testing

This testing is to be used for return to sport following injury to the shoulder, elbow, or wrist and will help determine the patient’s abilities to return to higher level activity.

Lower extremity return to sport testing

This helps determine if an athlete is ready to return to high level functional activities following ankle, knee, or hip injury or surgery. This includes those that take place on uneven surfaces, at high velocity, include cutting or pivoting, or a prolonged period of time weight bearing.

Benefits of performance testing

Performance testing helps you understand your strengths and challenges. Our testing programs give you information to help you:

• Build strength and endurance
• Improve performance
• Prevent injury