Assessments - LIFE PARTNERS PERSONAL TRAINING

ASSESSMENTS: The key to the perfect rehab program!

Without a complete Kinetic Assessment of the client, the Personal Trainer is flying blindly and any claims of "customization" can be somewhat falacious. The following information is meant only to inform and not to prescribe. Please do not try this on your own.
The Master Level Personal Trainer will look for imbalances, range of motion deficiencies, and many other clues to setting up and designing the most complete and customized exercise prescription.
All of the assessments, below, are taught by Reebok, NASM, NIHS, ISSA,ACE, and many other certification organizations.
What the trainer chooses to do with the information that is gleaned is what separates the professionals from the amateurs. A keen and observant eye will prove out in the quality of the program and the speed of rehabilitation.

Overhead Squat Assessment :
The Deep Squat is used to assess bilateral, symmetrical, mobility of the hips, knees, and ankles. The dowel held overhead assesses bilateral, symmetrical mobility of the shoulders as well as the thoracic spine.

The ability to perform the Deep Squat requires closed-kinetic chain dorsi-flexion of the ankles, flexion of the knees and hips, extension of the thoracic spine, as well as flexion and abduction of the shoulders. Poor performance of this test can be the result of several factors. Limited mobility in the upper torso can be attributed to poor glenohumeral and/or thoracic spine mobility. Limited mobility in the lower extremity including poor closed-kinetic chain dorsi-flexion of the ankle and/or poor flexion of the hip may also cause poor test performance.

Overhead Squat Rx (flexercise example)

Single Leg Raise Assessment
The Active Straight Leg Raise test is used to assess active hamstring and gastroc/soleus flexibility, while maintaining a stable pelvis..

The ability to perform the Active Straight Leg Raise test requires functional hamstring flexibility. This flexibility is the true flexibility an athlete has available during training and competition, as opposed to passive flexibility, which is most often assessed. The athlete is also required to demonstrate adequate passive iliopsoas flexibility of the opposite leg as well as lower abdominal stability.

Poor performance during this test can be the result of several factors. First, the athlete may have poor functional hamstring flexibility. Secondly, inadequate passive mobility of the opposite hip may be the result of iliopsoas tightness associated with an anterior tilted pelvis. If this limitation is gross, true active hamstring flexibility will not be realized. A combination of both these factors will demonstrate an athlete's relative bilateral, asymmetric hip mobility. This is similar to the relative hip mobility revealed by the Hurdle Step, however, this test is more specific to the limitations imposed by the muscles of the hamstrings and the iliopsoas.

In Line Lunge Assessment
The In-Line Lunge is used to assess bilateral mobility and stability, as well as ankle and knee stability.

The ability to perform the In-Line Lunge test requires stance leg stability of the ankle, knee, and hip as well as closed-kinetic chain hip abduction. The In-Line Lunge also requires step leg mobility of the hip adduction and ankle dorsi-flexion. The athlete must also display adequate balance during this test.

Poor performance of this test can be the result of several factors. First of which is inadequate hip mobility of either the stance or step leg. Secondly, the stance leg knee or ankle may not have the required stability as the lunge is performed. Thirdly, an imbalance may be present between adductor weakness and abductor tightness about one or more hips. Finally, tightness of the rectus femoris on the stance leg may be the cause for poor performance.

Rotation Assessment
The Rotational Stability test is used to assess multi-planar stability while a combined upper and lower extremity motion is performed.

The ability to perform the Rotational Stability test requires asymmetric trunk stability in both sagittal and transverse planes during asymmetric upper and lower extremity movement. Many functional activities in sport require the trunk stabilizers to transfer force asymmetrically from the lower extremities to the upper extremities and vice versa. Running and accelerating out of a down stance in track and football are common examples of this type of energy transfer. If the trunk does not have adequate stability during these activities, kinetic energy will be dispersed, leading to poor performance as well as increased potential for micro-traumatic injury.

In-Line Hurdle Assessment
The Hurdle Step is used to assess bilateral mobility and stability of the hips, knees, and ankles.

The ability to perform the Hurdle Step test requires both stance leg stability of the ankle, knee, and hip as well as maximal closed-kinetic chain extension of the hip. The Hurdle Step also requires leg open-kinetic chain dorsi-flexion of the ankle and flexion of the knee and hip. The athlete must also display adequate single leg stance balance during this test.

Poor performance of this test can be the result of several factors. It may simply be due to poor stability of the stance leg or poor mobility of the step leg. However, imposing maximal hip flexion of one leg while maintaining apparent hip extension of the opposite leg requires the athlete to demonstrate relative, asymmetric hip mobility.

Neurodynamic Rehabilitative Exercise (a new weapon in the Human Repair Arsenal)