This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit mskmag.substack.com

Dynamometry and assessment of performance are hot topics right now and with the drive to provide data-driven decisions in clinical practice, you can see why rehab professionals are seeking tools to capture this information.

A couple of years ago I had the pleasure of writing an article for MSK Mag [1], covering some of the fundamental aspects of dynamometry, assessment of performance and measurement error. We explored perhaps an uncomfortable truth:

‘Just because you have a number doesn’t mean it represents reality’

and a few ways to improve measurement accuracy. Hopefully readers were left with the take-home message that time is well invested into their measurement protocols to minimise measurement error, to generate useful data, and of course strategies on how to achieve this.

In this article, we’re going to address the other important part of the equation - the measurement tool itself. I’ll provide a simple framework to help you identify the device that’s right for your setting, along with a completely free online comparison tool to scrutinise devices against the specifications that matter. More on that in a bit.

Why Measurement Matters

Let’s just roll back a bit first and revisit the question: is the measurement of muscle performance, such as strength and rate of force development (RFD), important? Clearly I think so but here are a few reasons why obtaining (accurate) objective measurements of parameters like muscle force can be useful:

Table 1: The potential utility of objective data

The Problem After Deciding to Measure

Once you’ve rationalised your decision to test, honing your measurement skills addresses only part of the issue; the other part is the device itself and whether or not it’s fit for purpose. After reading this article, I want to leave you with a clear idea of some of the critical things to look for when selecting (or using) a dynamometer. For the purpose of this article we’re focusing on hand-held dynamometers (HHDs), but the considerations are applicable to most measurement devices.

Given the considerable variation in technical specifications between devices, a resource that provides side-by-side comparisons would be super useful to help you make an informed choice on purchasing or to see how your device stacks up against these critical metrics. So I created one.

The Need For A HHD Information Repository, With Guidance

I’ve interacted with thousands of therapists across the globe via my S&C teaching, and assessment of performance is an important part of this topic. Without fail, the most frequently asked question I receive is:

“Which dynamometer should I buy?”

Ten years ago the problem was lack of access to measurement tools. Now, the prolific rise in the number of HHDs and other devices makes “Which dynamometer should I buy?” a far more difficult question for the busy clinician to answer. Truth is, there is no single best dynamometer, nor is there a single unbiased and credible, centralised source of information on these measurement devices. So, I set out to create one - to arm clinicians with the critical information to help them navigate through the cacophony of information and marketing claims. In doing so, clinicians can identify the right dynamometer for their setting and avoid making decisions solely based on:

* Which device colleagues use

* Which device is the cheapest

* The device with the most impressive marketing

whichdynamometer.com is a completely free, unbiased online HHD comparison site - effectively a buyer’s guide and education hub for handheld dynamometry.

Note of Caution

I realise that some discerning clinicians may diligently trawl the literature for publications on HHDs, in particular searching for reports on the reliability of devices. This is a commendable feat, however it may not deliver the answer as I highlight in my recent (open access) paper [2].