The Science of Symmetry: Why “Close Enough” Isn’t Always Enough in Rehab
- Thomas Pope
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
We’ve all been there. You’ve spent weeks in rehab for a rolled ankle, a strained hamstring, or maybe a post-surgical knee. You’re back at the gym, you’ve stopped limping, and you feel, well... fine.
In the past, "feeling fine" was often the green light to return to full sport, work or heavy lifting. But at Physio on Patterson, we’re moving beyond "fine." Here is the hard truth of sports medicine: The human eye is notoriously bad at detecting small strength deficits—but those small deficits are exactly where re-injury lives.
The 10% Danger Zone
Research consistently shows that athletes often return to sport with a 10% to 20% strength or power deficit in their injured limb compared to their healthy one. The problem? You can’t see a 15% difference in power when someone performs a squat or a jump. The body is a master of disguise; it will subconsciously shift its weight, change its joint angles, and use other muscles to "cheat" and make the movement look symmetrical.
If you return to a high-demand activity like netball, footy, or running with that hidden imbalance:
Your healthy side overworks to compensate (leading to "overuse" injuries on the "good" side).
Your injured side remains vulnerable under fatigue.
Your risk of a secondary injury skyrockets.
Enter the Meloq EasyBase: Seeing the Invisible
This is exactly why we recently integrated Meloq EasyBase force plates into our clinical toolkit. We don’t want to guess if your legs are equal; we want to know.
When you perform a movement on our force plates—whether it’s a simple standing balance test or a dynamic countermovement jump—the sensors capture data at a rate the human eye simply cannot track. It allows us to see:
Braking Phase Symmetry: How well can your injured leg absorb force when you land?
Propulsive Force: Is one leg doing 60% of the work while the other does 40%?
Rate of Force Development: How fast can you generate power? (Crucial for preventing that "giving way" feeling).
Shifting the Goalposts: From "Pain-Free" to "Performance-Ready"
Effective rehab shouldn't just stop when the pain goes away. Pain is usually the first thing to leave, but strength and neuromuscular control are the last things to return.
By using objective force plate data, we can create a "Symmetry Profile" for you. We look for a Limb Symmetry Index (LSI) of at least 90-95% before we clear you for high-level pivoting or contact sports.
"If you aren't measuring, you're guessing." By measuring your progress, we can adjust your exercise program in real-time. If the data shows your left quad is still lagging behind in explosive power, we stop "general" training and start "targeted" training.
Are You Truly Ready to Go?
Whether you are a weekend warrior or a competitive athlete, don't leave your recovery to chance. "Close enough" is a recipe for a trip back to the treatment table.
If you’re currently recovering from an injury and want to see your "Symmetry Profile," come in and test yourself on our new force plates. Let’s get you back to 100%, not just 85%.
Would you like to see how your strength stacks up? Book an Initial Assessment at Physio on Patterson Today