Movement Analysis

How It Works

Wisconsin Performance Institute offers the Midwest’s most comprehensive approach to movement analysis and improvement. 

Our physical therapists use high-speed motion-capture software to identify and analyze issues, and help you see why your pain is getting worse or your performance is falling off.

After your movement analysis, we’ll develop a personalized program to improve your strength, mobility, and movement patterns, while teaching you why you’re experiencing problems and how you can correct faulty movements.

If you don’t move optimally, it’s almost impossible to improve at your chosen activity. As we tailor your exercise program to your sport or activity, over time you’ll become less injury-prone and your performance will improve.

Play Video about Young blonde woman running on treadmill to analyze movement on a screen

See how we analyze movement to help our clients move without pain and improve athletic performance.

What We Do

Customized Programs Tailored to Your Sport

We evaluate and analyze movements like:

  • Running gait
  • Walking gait
  • Return to sport
  • Throwing mechanics
  • Swing mechanics (golf, baseball, tennis, and other sports)

We address the following conditions:

  • Back pain
  • Shoulder pain
  • Elbow pain
  • Hip pain
  • Knee pain
  • Ankle pain
  • Post-surgery issues

We've had great results with athletes like:

  • Walkers and runners
  • Soccer players
  • Basketball players
  • Baseball/softball players
  • Golfers
  • Dancers
  • Hockey players
  • Weightlifters
  • Football players
  • Volleyball players
  • Tennis players
  • Disc golfers
Play Video about Carter Hoffman speaking about the Noraxon technology

The Noraxon System

The Noraxon System is the world’s most advanced 3D motion-analysis system. It uses two high-speed cameras and 16 sensors to capture your movements. The system also has eight EMG muscle sensors to analyze muscle activation patterns.

The system produces an avatar that lets us analyze your movements from any angle, and Noraxon lets you view your movements down to 1/10 of normal speed for precise analysis.

What does this technology do?

  • It tracks and compares ranges of motion.
  • It identifies movement patterns that can’t be seen by the naked eye.
  • It optimizes treatment by evaluating specific movement strategies.
  • It understands if muscle firing is properly coordinated.
  • It discovers an athlete’s ability to produce force and power.
  • It measures balance and weight distribution to assess stability and body control.

The Noraxon System produces an avatar that lets us analyze your movements from any angle and at lower speeds for precise analysis.

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TESTIMONIAL

Honed in on pain
During my movement evaluation, Carter was able to hone in on exactly what was causing me pain and gave me exercises to begin building strength in the right places. I was so impressed with his knowledge and professionalism as he listened to my movement concerns and my goals.

Carrie Dreger, Recreational Runner

FAQs

The WPI’s top-notch clinicians use cutting-edge motion-capture technology to help identify complex movement-related problems that contribute to pain, loss of function, and decreased performance. We help you understand your movement issues, why they’re occurring, and how you can fix them, so you can return to doing what you love at the highest level.

Our facility is located in the Portage County Business Park – 5501 E.M. Copps Drive, Stevens Point, WI 54482. Our state-of-the-art lab is set up in the same building that houses the second location for Stevens Point Orthopedics Physical Therapy.

If your assessment requires, we can also travel to you! This sets us apart from other motion-capture systems. We can use our system’s mobile capabilities to analyze your movement and performance at any location.

We start with a thorough orthopedic assessment to identify underlying movement issues. Then we use the state-of-the-art Noraxon motion-capture system with its high-speed cameras and research-grade sensors to determine what’s contributing to your pain, injury, or decrease in performance.

We want you to fully understand your movement-related problem, why it’s occurring, and how to address it. With this new understanding you’ll be better able to improve your function and performance.

  • Running gait
  • Walking gait
  • Return to sport
  • Throwing mechanics
  • Swing mechanics (golf, baseball, tennis, and other sports)
  • Back pain
  • Shoulder pain
  • Elbow pain
  • Hip pain
  • Knee pain
  • Ankle pain
  • Post-surgery issues
  • Walkers and runners
  • Soccer players
  • Basketball players
  • Baseball/softball players
  • Golfers
  • Dancers
  • Hockey players
  • Weightlifters
  • Football players
  • Volleyball players
  • Tennis players
  • Disc golfers
  • Boxers

No! We want to give this world-class technology to everyone: weekend warriors returning to activity after a nagging injury, athletes striving to improve their performance, and people looking to remove pain from everyday activities.

We measure where you are physically before we recommend anything. We use the results of your motion analysis to improve your movement, so you’re at peak performance when you return to activities after pain, injury, surgery, or a long layoff.

We’re the only clinicians in Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest who have designed, tested, and implemented research-based protocols to help you safely resume activity.

Coaches are experts at sport-specific skills and strategies, but they might not be experts in sport-specific movement. The WPI helps athletes identify and correct holes in their athletic performance – strength deficits, mobility restrictions, or imprecise sequencing. Think of us as your “movement coaches.”
Our initial evaluation runs approximately 90 minutes, with 45-minute follow-up sessions.

Wear athletic shorts and a T-shirt that let you move freely. We have shorts and shirts if you forget either for your first appointment.

We’ll sit down with you immediately after your analysis, break down the video and data, and give you your results. You’ll leave your initial appointment understanding why you’re dealing with pain or performance issues. After that, you can begin improving your movement and function.

Depending on your goals, it’s a good idea to re-evaluate your movement after completing your care plan. Allow at least a month between assessments to account for improvements in mobility and strength, and changed movement patterns.

Get Started

Contact us today to schedule your evaluation.