A ForceDecks assessment Hexham patients can access at InSync Therapy gives you objective data on strength, balance and movement from the very first session.

When people start rehabilitation, one of the most common questions they ask is: how will I know when I’m ready? It is a fair question. Feeling better is a start. But feeling better and being ready to return to full activity are not always the same thing.

That is where a ForceDecks assessment changes the picture. Since bringing VALD ForceDecks to our Hexham clinic, we have used them with patients recovering from surgery, managing lower limb injuries, returning to sport and working to move more confidently in everyday life. The data they produce is fast, clear and directly useful from the first session.

ForceDecks are manufactured by VALD Performance, a clinical technology company whose equipment is used in elite sport and rehabilitation settings worldwide.

What a ForceDecks Assessment Hexham Patients Can Expect

A ForceDecks assessment Hexham physiotherapists use is straightforward you stand on the plates, complete a short series of movements and receive a clear report within minutes.

A typical session takes between 5 and 20 minutes. You might squat, jump, hold a static position or perform a controlled movement. There is no equipment to attach and no complicated setup. The plates do the work. You receive a clear, easy-to-read report at the end.

We use ForceDecks assessments to measure:

Force output for each leg independently
Left and right side differences
Balance and postural sway
Landing forces and take off forces
How output changes across repeated efforts

ForceDecks assessment Hexham at InSync Therapy force plate testing for rehabilitation

What We Have Seen Since Using ForceDecks in Hexham

After several months of regular use with patients across the Tyne Valley, a few things stand out consistently.

Side-to-side differences are more common than most people expect. Many patients who feel they are moving symmetrically are actually loading one leg noticeably more than the other. Seeing that data on screen makes it concrete — and makes it far easier to build a programme that addresses the actual imbalance rather than assumptions about it.

Progress becomes visible in a way that words cannot always convey. Rehabilitation can feel slow. When a patient sees their force output improve week on week, even modestly, it reinforces that the work is worth continuing. That matters for motivation and for staying consistent with a structured plan.

Readiness criteria become objective. One of the most difficult clinical judgements in rehabilitation is knowing when to progress. ForceDecks provide clear benchmarks both against a patient’s own baseline and against population norms. The decision to increase load, return to training or return to sport becomes less subjective and more grounded in measurable evidence.

How we use the data

Strength testing
You complete key movements on the plates. The system records force output for each leg and shows the difference between sides. This gives a baseline from day one and tracks change throughout your rehabilitation.
Balance testing
The plates monitor pressure shifts and sway during standing and loaded positions. This highlights stability issues that may affect performance or increase the risk of a fall or re-injury.
Injury risk review
ForceDecks reveal deficits in strength, control and movement quality during everyday patterns. We then build a targeted programme to address those specific deficits.
Return to sport testing
ForceDecks provide clear targets and measurable criteria for each stage of your return. You know where you are, what is expected and when it is safe to progress.
Golf performance testing
Alongside our specialist TPI golf assessments, ForceDecks add lower limb strength and stability data that connect directly to key movements in your swing. You see side-to-side differences and power output that influence both performance and injury risk.

Who Benefits From a ForceDecks Assessment

ForceDecks are useful across a wide range of patients and goals. We regularly use them with people who are:

Recovering from knee, hip or ankle surgery
Rehabilitating lower limb injuries, sprains, tendinopathies, stress fractures
Returning to running or impact sport after injury
Working through chronic pain or long-term movement limitations
Athletes preparing for or returning to training
Anyone who wants a clear, measurable baseline for strength and balance

If you are unsure whether a ForceDecks assessment Hexham is right for your situation, we can discuss your goals at your first appointment.

Common conditions we assess

Knee pain, including patellofemoral conditions
Achilles tendinopathy
Ankle sprains and instability
Plantar fasciitis and heel pain
Post-surgical recovery for lower limb procedures
Stress fractures and return-to-load planning
Peroneal and tibialis posterior issues
Hip and gluteal weakness affecting lower limb function

Book a ForceDecks Assessment in Hexham

InSync Therapy is based in Hexham, Northumberland, serving patients across the Tyne Valley including Corbridge, Prudhoe, Allendale, Bellingham and surrounding villages.

If you want to understand your strength and balance with real numbers or if you are unsure how to progress your recovery safely book a ForceDecks assessment and leave with a baseline, a structured plan and a clear picture of what comes next. For more on our approach to rehabilitation, visit our rehabilitation suite page.

Ready to Start Your Recovery?

Whether you’re recovering from surgery, dealing with a sports injury, or just want to feel like yourself again, our expert physiotherapists are here to support you.

Based in Hexham, serving the wider Tyne Valley including Greenhead, Bellingham, Allendale, Matfen and surrounding areas.

Call: 07833 494268

Book your appointment slot Contact Us

Sara Mather.
Founder of InSync
Hexham