Athletes are continually striving to improve quickness and reaction time. A small improvement in just one of these attributes can make the difference between losing and winning a game. The Quick Board agility training equipment is not only a valid training device for measuring quickness and reaction time, but it also improves these traits.
The most commonly used agility and quickness drills include hurdles, cones, and agility ladders. The problem with these drills is they don’t force the athlete to react as he or she would in a game situation. Due to the limited cognitive processing involved in the drills, one shouldn’t expect a transfer to the playing field. An athlete must train in an environment where he or she must recognize an external stimulus and react to it as quickly and accurately as possible, such as in a game situation. For example, a running back reacts to an oncoming defender allowing him to avoid a tackle. The Quick Board provides an external stimulus for the athlete to train against or react to thereby creating more challenging and realistic training.
A physical therapist’s goal is to return a patient to maximum normal functioning. Depending on the severity of the patient’s impairment, the Quick Board can be a tool in the PT arsenal to help return a patient to the highest function possible.
For example, an athlete’s goal would be to return to his/her sport; a non-athlete would want to return to everyday functioning, whether it just be walking around or working.
A majority of injuries seen in rehab clinics involve nerve damage (from degenerative disorders or injuries) which can lead to a loss of balance and loss of proprioception. One goal of a physical therapist is to restore a patient’s proprioception. In order to facilitate a patient’s motor planning and resultant action, one must incorporate an outside stimulus, such as the Quick Board, in an exercise program.
When supplemented into proper rehab protocols, The Quick Board provides this stimulus which can train the nerves to react and lead to a subsequent action. This objective training tool provides a physical therapist with the data to aid in the progression of a rehabilitation program.
The Quick Board is a valuable asset to strength and conditioning coaches, physical therapists and university research departments since it provides the user with valid, accurate data. Once drills have been completed, the data can be uploaded to a PC via Ethernet and a subject’s drill results can be analyzed and compared to past scores.
The following paragraphs demonstrate examples of how different users can benefit from using The Quick Board.
A strength coach can test a player when he or she first joins a team and then track the athlete’s progress throughout his or her high school, college or professional career. Additionally, if a player is recovering from an injury, then the coach can prohibit the player from returning until he or she achieves a target score on selected drills.
Physical therapists can objectively track a patient’s rehabilitation. This benefits the physical therapy clinic and the patient’s insurance company by proving the patient is receiving proper rehabilitation through objective performance testing rather than subjective scoring scales. Insurance companies may recognize use of The Quick Board as a therapeutic exercise for billing purposes.
According to a research study conducted by the University of Memphis, The Quick Board is considered a valid testing device that produces reliable, accurate data. In this way, university research departments can use this device for a variety of testing purposes ranging from sport science to health and human performance.
We have recommended certain default drills that will improve quickness, agility, and reaction time; however, The Quick Board also allows the users to change time intervals, number of touches required, and sequences giving them the opportunity to create custom drills.
Physical therapists can use The Quick Board in conjunction with other physical therapy training equipment such as half round foam rollers, wobble boards and parallel bars.
