A force plate measures ground reaction forces exerted by a body and is used in biomechanical research and sports medicine. It allows for the collection of quantitative data on body movements, which can be useful in medical diagnoses and the development of new sports technologies. Force plates come in different sizes and types and can be combined with cameras or sensors for a more complete picture of locomotion. They have applications in biological studies, such as studying equine gaits for designing horseshoes.
A force plate or platform is a special device used to measure the forces exerted on the ground by a body. These forces, called ground reaction forces (GRF), are measured by a series of sensors on the plate. Force plates are often used in biomechanical research and sports medicine to study human and animal gaits.
Biomechanics is the study of the physical movements of biological organisms, such as the mechanical aspects of human running or the movements of a fish in water. Sports research is closely related to biomechanics because it examines the physical science of movement in sports. A force plate allows sports researchers to conduct experiments and collect quantitative data on body movements. This information can be used to learn more about human biomechanics. It can also be useful in medical diagnoses and the development of new sports technologies, such as running shoes.
There are many sizes and types of force plates that have been developed for different uses. The most common design is a rectangular plate with four sensors, one for each corner. If single jumps or steps are measured, the device may only be one or two steps long. Some force plates are designed so that several can be connected together, forming a longer trail for analyzing a running stride.
Force plate data is often combined with information from cameras or sensors to get a more complete picture of locomotion. If you’re analyzing a running gait, for example, limb movement might also be important. Researchers could study different subjects of differing ability to compare gait patterns and trends.
A single pedestal force plate is simply the rectangular surface with the sensors attached. Multiple pedestal force plates can be used for more advanced studies. For example, in a study of how force is exerted when a person climbs a set of stairs, a series of plates could be placed along a staircase. The versatility of the force plates allows for many variations in experiment design.
While most force plates are manufactured for human use, they also have applications in biological studies. For example, a force plate can be used to study an equine gait. Data on how a horse trots and walks can be useful in designing horseshoes for hard surfaces, such as sidewalk. For this type of study, the typical rubbery force plate surface needs to be modified to resemble concrete or steel flooring. The horse is led onto the platter, which records information about the horse’s movement and the force being exerted on the hard surface.
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