Human Performance Lab

Athletic and functional performance is analyzed and developed in the DiSepio Human Performance Lab located on the Institute’s first floor. The planned services of the Human Performance Lab include cardiovascular/metabolic, biomechanical, and neuromuscular/musculoskeletal measuring devices. Included in the HPL, a Biodex isokinetic device enables the staff to evaluate the strength, power, and endurance of all the major muscle groups of the body. The second device in the lab is a NeuroCom dynamic posturography unit. The NeuroCom analyzes the reasons for a balance problem and can provide useful information in diagnosing the vestibular, proprioceptive, and visual reasons for lack of balance or a tendency to fall. The BOD POD, an egg-shaped module in which a client sits for body composition analysis testing, is the third piece of technology in the Human Performance Lab. Operating on the same principles as underwater weighing, the BOD POD employs air displacement to measure body fat and lean body mass. Students who wish to be tested in the BOD POD may call 472-2783 to set up an appointment.

Facilities

• A cardiovascular-metabolic lab that can analyze the exercise tolerance of a college football athlete or a geriatric patient with a cardiac condition or a child with Type I diabetes. Body composition analysis is performed using various technologies, including underwater weighing, bioelectrical impedance, and air displacement.
• A kinesiological/biomechanical lab that uses an infra-red motion-capture system to perform analysis of the throwing style of a Little League pitcher or the gait of a war veteran with a lower limb prosthesis or the body movements of a child with cerebral palsy. Peripherals that can be attached to the basic system include various types of exercise units, e.g., treadmills or upper body ergometers, and other evaluative devices such as electromyography units that detect which muscles are firing during a specific movement.
• A single-subject area to perform a variety of psychological and behavioral response testing, including tests using biofeedback technology.