Sports Medicine Testing and Evaluation
Force & Strength Output

Strength can be loosely defined as the ability to apply musculoskeletal force. For a more precise definition, we must first consider the various types of strength expression available to athletes:

Limit Strength

The amount of musculoskeletal force you can generate for one all-out effort. Limit strength is your athletic "foundation." Limit strength can only be demonstrated or tested in the weight room during the performance of a maximal lift. While only power lifters need to maximize and demonstrate this type of strength, martial artists need to develop high levels of limit strength in every muscle group.

Relative Strength

Whereas absolute strength refers to strength irrespective of bodyweight, relative strength is a term used to denote an athlete's strength per unit of bodyweight. Thus if two athletes of different bodyweights can squat 300 pounds, they have equal absolute strength for that lift, but the lighter athlete has greater relative strength.

Chatillon dynamometers are used to objectively measure and quantify muscle strength. They can also be used to measure the effects of a repetitive use injuries and to measure the effectiveness of post-injury rehabilitation.

Dynamometers

• MSC Series, Muscle Strength Comparator
• FCE Series, Functional Capacity Evaluator