Behind the Research

Sports professionals routinely assess athletes’ physiological performance using batteries of performance tests, such as those used in the NFL or NHL combine. Unfortunately, many commonly used tests and the systems used to measure performance have not been rigorously evaluated. Understanding a test’s validity and reliability is critical, especially when college scholarship or professional salary is considered. We have focused our attention on evaluating commonly used timing systems and developing practical, reliable, and valid hockey specific physiological performance tests.

Musculoskeletal injuries, such as ACL tears or FAI, have large financial, personal, and professional consequences on the health care system and the injured athlete. Understanding biomechanical factors of movement surrounding these injuries plays a crucial role in preventing them. With this information, we can develop screens to identify those at an increased risk for injury and enhance rehabilitation protocols after the injury occurs to reduce the risk of a secondary injury. We quantify an athlete’s movement using 2D and 3D motion capture and analyses, which allows us to breakdown an athlete’s movement to identify risky movement patterns.