When we get new equipment at Sloane Stecker it's always after exhaustive research and with an aim to round out our world class gym with a tool that will help our patients and clients achieve the goals they're working towards. You'll find machines developed by NASA engineers, the latest diagnostic equipment available, and tools used by pros around the world. Our latest addition to our Westchester office is a favorite, trusty tool in our New York City physical therapy clinic- the InBody.
InBody helps read body composition with ease and accuracy. When it comes to maximizing training efforts, the InBody is a trusted tool across fitness and professional sports industries. Over 30 teams from the NHL, NBA, NFL, and MLB utilize this body composition tool when designing training programs for teams and individual players. As far as anecdotal evidence goes, those kinds of numbers aren't too shabby.
The trainer for the Anaheim Ducks, Mark Fitzgerald, put InBody through the paces before investing in it as a tool to train the athletes he works with. His findings- this tool is on par with the likes of DEXA and Bod Pod. Just to be thorough he even included a local university, validated his research results. InBody is a tool to be reckoned with. Not only that, it's a tool to be utilized to design incomparable programs for professional athletes as well as local Westchester and UWS weekend warriors.
Need more convincing? Here's just a bit of what Fitzgerald has found in his work with the Anaheim Ducks and InBody:
All of the outputs from the InBody Test are provided on the InBody result sheet, which Fitzgerald uses to open dialogue with athletes on areas to focus on. At the highest level of professionals sports, open dialogue between coach and athlete is paramount. Professional athletes want to understand what they are doing. For Fitzgerald, the result sheet is essential in the education process. The InBody provides outputs that Fitzgerald can tie to his diet plans and workout plans.
Two areas of focuses are on nutrition and conditioning. His goal for all his players is to maintain a balanced, strong body so that they can stay on the ice.
Fitzgerald uses lean body mass to set targets for each of his players to maintain during the season. As the number increases or decreases, he can relate it back to what they are doing for nutrition.
"If you eat more higher sources of protein, it’s going to keep lean muscle mass on, you’re not as susceptible to soft tissue injuries and you keep that lean muscle. When one leads to the next and they’re intermingled, it brings more relevance to what I’m saying. It’s full circle."
This helps reinforces the importance of diet and supplementation.
Fitzgerald uses the Segmental Lean Analysis section on the InBody result sheet as a guide to help the athlete better understand their body. Most hockey players are asymmetrical because they usually shoot a hockey puck off their dominant leg, working one side of the body significantly more than the other. A hockey player might not feel like they are physically unbalanced, especially if they are performing well. But an asymmetrical body can be vulnerable to injuries.
“Looking at the segmental analysis you’re able to tell them that’s why that happens. That single leg and single arm work I have you do – that’s why I have you do that work. We want to be able to balance those two things out. It’s never going to be perfectly balanced but we try to keep them a little more balanced than they are. Again, it opens the door for conversations.”
As you can see, Body Composition isn't just a fancy tool for professional athletes. It's a vital part of understanding how to best achieve your physical fitness goals. You're unique, one of a kind, and your wellness plan should reflect that. If you're working blind you might not be giving yourself a fighting chance to meet the goals you have set for yourself. Sloane Stecker Physical Therapy, along with InBody, are here to help you maximize your efforts with the tools and knowledge you need to find the program that is right for you.
In just 60 seconds you can have answers that can drastically change the outlook of your training. What's not to love about that?