New Lab is Diagnosis in Motion

Aches, pains and a goofy golf swing could all benefit from a new “performance lab” unveiled at Des Moines University clinics. Director Brian Heiderscheit says it’s not like a CAT scan that looks inside the body. The lab analyzes how the body moves, to treat movement disfunctions like recovery from stroke, difficulty with walking, or even difficulty getting up from a sitting position. Dr. Heiderscheit says the lab looks at more than one part of the body, and analyzes those parts in motion. A patient is attached to reflective markers and muscle sensors to walk across a special floor. It collects data from the sensors, which will be interpreted by computers to assess joint, muscle and nerve problems in the new lab. You don’t have to be a patient to get benefit from the new motion lab. Individuals can come in alone or along with their family doctor or sports-medicine professional to have their movement, from a running stride to a golf swing, analyzed in the lab.