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We Can Help
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‘Buster’ 101 visit’s Profeet.
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Marathon des Sables - Alastair Humphreys & team complete
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Profeets Technology
Workshops
Profeet has purpose built workshops on-site.
Treadmills
SPRINTEX treadmills with the superior t-slat technology are specifically designed and
developed for the professional sectors of sports and rehabilitation. This technology conforms to specifications
given by nature itself in order to perform the most natural human movement pattern, walking, as unaltered as possible.
Our state of the art equipment is specifically engineered to handle the tough requirements of hospital wellness
programs, orthopaedic physical therapy, cardiac rehabilitation programs, research, and special applications.
Many belt driven treadmills are unsuitable for accurate observational gait analysis as 'normal' running gait behaviour
cannot be replicated due to the following effects:
The Trampoline Effect: All belt-based treadmills pull a 'running surface' over a board (deck), which is specifically
designed to attenuate the impact of foot strike (sometimes referred to as an 'orthopedic running board'). This artificial impact
attenuation masks the true biomechanics of the foot and its natural ability to absorb shock. In addition, any rebound from
initial impact will have an adverse affect on foot function (often mistakenly observed as excessive rear foot pronation.)
Contact Grip: During initial foot contact friction causes the belt to instantaneously grip the board. This results in an
abrupt breaking moment before foot flat is reached. While the belt is gripping it can be seen to bunch-up beneath the foot.
When the load is sufficient the foot is 'jerked' towards an early 'foot flat'.
Early Heel Lift: The alterations to the stance phase do not stop here. It has been proven that the more powerful the treadmill motor is, the more likely it is that the foot will be 'pulled backwards' beneath the body. Therefore the natural kinetics and kinematics of the propulsion phase are masked. Additionally these alterations to the natural running gait will be disconcerting to any runner, causing them to decrease stride length and drop their centre-of-mass.
Shorter Swing Phase: If an early heel lift occurs, due to the unnatural accelerated backward movement of the weight-bearing limb,
then the non-weight bearing leg will naturally prematurely reach initial contact, shortening stride length.
Lateral Shift: Some clients with excessive toe-out angle and genu valgum frequently drive the belt laterally during the propulsive
phase. As the belt is designed to slide it exaggerates the movement. You can identify this by monitoring the gap between the
edge of the treadmill and the belt.
Noise & Vibration: Most orthopedic treadmills 'bounce' slightly, this generates both unnecessary noise and vibrations.
These unusual circumstances in addition to the aforementioned effects contribute to an unscientific environment for professional,
accurate gait analysis.
Pulled - not propelled: The running surface on a 'belt' driven treadmill is pulled over the running deck. The powerful motor
that drives this belt also unbalances the propulsion phase of the runner by pulling the foot beneath the hip rather than
allowing the foot to drive the hip over the foot. Therefore the running gait is altered as you are only replicating the propulsive
movement not creating it.
Calibration sheets
Calibration sheets give a point of reference to measure the motion of the foot and leg against a static axis to create a quantative measuring devise. In addition to this calibration sheets are a basic requirement to achieve an optimal positioning of your cameras. The sheets are located behind and beside the treadmill, and thus enable an exact horizontal and vertical positioning of the camera. In addition, the monochromatic colour offers a good contrast to the skin and the skin markings of the athlete.
RS Scans
RS Scan provides live visual feedback during training, showing performance from various angles,
comparing performances and live drawing.
For several years, university departments, all over the world, are using the RSscan footscan® system, to have reliable
and reproducible pressure data. First of all, with a maximum measurement frequency of 500Hz, plate dimensions from 0,5m
(4096 sensors) up till 1m (8192 sensors) at 4 sensors/cm2, RSscan takes 1000 recordings every 3 seconds giving Profeet
the best specifications available in the world of dynamic pressure measurement systems.
Secondly, the amount of sensors and active sensor area: the bigger the active sensor area, the less your client has
to fixate to the pressure plate to place his foot/feet, the bigger the amount of sensors, the more detailed your
local pressure information is. Static measurements or standing measurements can be displayed partitioning the
bodies weight over 4 quadrants, also displaying of center of gravity.
The footscan® 3D Gait system has all hardware and software features to perform scientific pressure
measurements.
RS Scan software features
Synchronizing tools: get almost absolute pressure data, due to the synchronization of the pressure measurement
system and a force plate.
Analysis tools:
- Calculation of foot dimensions
- Graph: Pressure/time for each foot zone
- Graph: Force/time for each foot zone
- Comparison of contact percentages or rear- mid- fore foot with the impulse of the respective foot parts
- Foot axes
- Timing parameters
- Reference values
- Calculating the average of several measurements, based on these averages, the movement analysis and D3D proposal can be repeated
Dartfish
Dartfish is the ultimate running gait video analysis technology that helps our clients find the correct shoes for their feet. Profeet use video imaging to reinforce communication with our clients. Dartfish allows you to run comparisons, analyze movements and trajectories, calculate speed, distance and velocity and demonstrate key techniques and positions. Dartfish helps to provide a real understanding of your gait and show you real improvements.
Sidas/Conform'able
The HD Vac is the machine used by Profeet to take our clients footprints which are then used to mould the custom footbeds. This air vacuum system with silicon balls allows for high definition and brings incredible performance to moulded footbeds. The option to mould weight bearing or semi-weight bearing allows our technicians to adapt each footbed to the requirements of the individual.
