Muscle Fuel Evaluation
Timing: Pre-training
Purpose for visit: Knee pain
History: This competitive football player has just begun a strength and conditioning cycle in preparation for the upcoming pre-season. He has been experiencing left knee pain, so opted for a MuscleSound evaluation. Over his athletic career, he has undergone four knee surgeries on the left side and broke his left ankle in the last year.
MuscleSound Analysis: In an initial evaluation, the provider assessed bilateral Muscle Fuel levels in the patient’s lower body. The Muscle Energy Status of 41, a composite indication of all assessed muscles, is categorically low and suggests lack of recovery from recent training loads. When fatigued, form is more easily compromised and movement patterns are more likely to adapt to compensate for any present weaknesses or restricted ranges of motion. In light of the given injury history and recent physical lower-body intensive activity, the results above clearly demonstrate compensatory movement patterns, more heavily relying on the stronger right side, and shifting load away from the previously injured and aggravated left knee (and possibly ankle).
Result: Moving forward, periodical MuscleSound evaluation will assist in the monitoring of rehabilitation progress to ensure remedy of the noted imbalance with the objective to begin the upcoming preseason in the best possible state of MuscleHealth.
GS– Gastrocnemius/Soleus
RF– Rectus Femoris
HL– Lateral Hamstring
(L) – Left (R) – Right