NXT Steps
Now that you have your NXTSTAT Sports Lab "Results" report, what actions can you take?
Actions
Your Sports Science "Results" report is valuable for discussion about possible actions regarding:
- improving athletic performance
- lowering the risk of future injury
- injury recovery
Continue reading to understand how your report can help you with each of these areas.
Baseline
What is a Baseline in Sport Science? Baselines are your current stats from your routine testing session, meaning when you are healthy and taking your test for proactive reasons. One of the most important aspects of collecting this data is that the baselines have been documented for you. Initially, you may choose not to take any action from the data in your "Results" report. However, if you sense fatigue or experience an injury, your baseline data becomes very important for you regarding decisions of when to consider lighter workouts or evaluating return to play readiness (recovery). These reactive evaluations after fatigue or injury moments are a good time to consider an "upgrade" test with NXTSTAT to help you and your medical professionals determine the return to play readiness (recovery) of your body.
From a performance standpoint, if you are performing very well vs your graduating class benchmarks for example, you may have an established strength and conditioning routine that you are happy with and choose to continue. In that situation, this report verified that you are taking the right action currently. Hopefully, as you continue to test each year, you see that your NXTSTAT results continue to improve. You can track this in your "Progress" report tab.
If you are performing below your graduating class benchmarks or if you go a while without seeing improvements, then it might be time for new action with your strength and conditioning routines. Share your "Results" report with your strength and conditioning specialist to consider new appropriate options.
Please remember, everyone is going to have genetic influences that affect performance, and each individual can always be working toward new personal bests regardless of your results vs your graduation class benchmarks.
Improve
After reviewing your report if you feel there is room for improvement, take your data to a strength and conditioning specialist you trust. They can look over the data and create an appropriate program based on your individual needs and goals. For example, maybe you can jump higher than others, but your results show that you are slow getting off the ground. In a sport like basketball, it is very valuable to get off the ground quickly, so your strength coach can tailor a program to improve that specific aspect. The point is a trusted strength and conditioning specialist should be able to look at your sports science data to identify areas of improvement custom to your player instead of the general workout routine.
Please remember, everyone is going to have genetic influences that affect performance, and each individual can always be working toward new personal bests regardless of your results vs your graduation class benchmarks.
Warning
If you received a "warning or red light" symbol next to a stat within your NXTSTAT "Balance Risk" testing results report, this means testing results indicate asymmetries. Research has shown that in some cases asymmetries in the 10-20% range and above 20% range can be concerning.
Understanding why a large asymmetry exists can be very valuable when interpreting your results and deciding your next steps. Let's use a simple example to explain why Asymmetry could exist. Asymmetry in the counter-movement jump (one data point from the test we use) might be present in an athlete who has done long jump for many years and always jumps off one leg. This may not be concerning once discovered, but at least worth investigating why the Asymmetry existed.
Now let's consider another example. Perhaps one leg just isn’t well-conditioned yet (it's not as strong as your other leg). Taking your Asymmetry data proactively to a trusted professional such as a physical therapist, sports chiropractor or strength and conditioning specialist could help you understand why and consider new actions to achieving balanced function and potentially lower the risk of future injuries.
Testing Quick Reference
Force plates provide information regarding lower body mechanics.
Green light symbol, Yellow light symbol, Red light symbol
Recovery
Unfortunately, as we all know, injuries do occur. Research has shown that once an athlete has torn a ligament or muscle, like an ACL for example, he or she is much more likely to have a reinjury.
With your NXTSTAT baseline, you can "upgrade" test (reactive test) your athlete post-rehab to help ensure lower extremity mechanics are back to the pre-injury level and within the safe levels of symmetry before returning to play. While research has shown that injury prediction is nearly impossible, this can absolutely help lower the risk.
If you experience an injury and want to explore or schedule an "upgrade" test to evaluate your return to play readiness (recovery status), please reach out to us through our Talk to Us page.
Resources
If you are looking for the medical research behind our testing or want to share more Resources with your physical therapist, sports chiropractor or strength and conditioning specialist, please reference our Resources page at www.nxtstat.com/resources
For further information please look through our website. It is our mission to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to performance, injury recovery and potentially lowering the risk of future injuries.