IN-PERSON COURSE:
Hand-Held Dynamometry In Clinical Practice
A One-Day Practical Course for Rehabilitation Professionals
Stop Collecting Numbers
Start Collecting Meaningful Data
- MOKO Physiotherapy, Derby, 19th Sept 2026
This practical course will take you from feeling unsure about hand-held dynamometry and if you’re “doing it right”, to being able to craft meaningful and reliable assessments and avoid the mistakes that other make.
Delivered by Dr Claire Minshull
Rehabilitation & Conditioning Specialist.
Internationally-renowned Speaker, Educator, Researcher & Professor – & founder of
Hand-held dynamometry (HHD) has become one of the most widely used methods of assessing muscle strength in rehabilitation. Yet despite the increasing availability of devices, many clinicians remain uncertain about how to obtain measurements that are valid, repeatable, and clinically meaningful.
"A force value is only as useful as the method used to acquire it."
Poor positioning, inadequate fixation, inconsistent protocols, inappropriate device selection, and a lack of understanding of measurement error can all undermine the quality of the data collected. The consequence? Clinical decisions based on numbers that may not accurately reflect a patient's true performance.
Combining evidence-based theory with extensive practical application, attendees will develop the knowledge and skills required to design robust assessment protocols, critically evaluate dynamometers, minimise measurement error, and interpret strength data with confidence.
What You'll Learn
Practical Sessions:
A significant proportion of the day is dedicated to practical application
Valid and Repeatable Testing
Learn how to:
Standardise testing procedures
Improve measurement consistency
Reduce assessor influence
Optimise fixation strategies
Take yourself out of the measurement equation wherever possible
Joint-Specific Testing
Practical guidance and hands-on experience conducting assessments across a range of commonly tested joints and muscle groups.
Taught Sessions:
Context and Principles of Data Acquisition
Understanding why objective measurement matters and the role of dynamometry within modern rehabilitation and performance assessment.
Understanding Muscle Performance
Learn how force is generated, how it can be represented through the force-time curve, and which performance metrics are most relevant to clinical practice.
Measurement Error and How to
Control It
Explore the technical and biological sources of measurement variability and practical strategies to minimise their impact.
Why Measuring Individuals Is Different
Understanding the unique challenges of intra-individual assessment and why monitoring change within a patient demands greater precision than assessing groups.
Choosing the Right Dynamometer
Not all devices are created equal. Learn how to critically evaluate specifications, understand what matters (and what doesn’t), and select a dynamometer that is fit for your intended purpose … or how to best use the device that you already own.
Making Sense of the Numbers
Interpreting strength data, understanding meaningful change, and distinguishing true performance differences from measurement noise.
Bring Your Own Dynamometer
Do you have a HHD? Bring it along.
- The course provides an opportunity to:
- Become more familiar with your equipment
- Understand its capabilities and limitations
- Apply course content directly to your own clinical set-up
- Compare different devices and approaches alongside other attendees
Don’t worry if you don’t own a dynamometer, a range of devices will be provided for you to use.
What clinicians often don't know...
Assessing the individual demands a greater level of measurement precision
Some tests of muscle performance may have more than 40% error
RFD is highly variable
Designed and delivered by Dr Claire Minshull
*Minshull et al (2009). Single measurement reliability and reproducibility of volitional and magnetically-evoked indices of neuromuscular performance in adults. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 19 1013-23
- MOKO Physiotherapy, Derby, 19th Sept 2026
This practical course will take you from feeling unsure about hand-held dynamometry and if you’re “doing it right”, to being able to craft meaningful and reliable assessments and avoid the mistakes that other make.
Learning Outcomes
- By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Understand the principles of measurement science relevant to dynamometry in practice
- Critically evaluate hand-held dynamometers and their specifications
- Design and implement valid, reliable and repeatable strength assessments
- Identify and reduce sources of measurement error
- Select testing protocols appropriate to different clinical objectives
- Interpret strength data with greater confidence
- Distinguish true changes in performance from normal measurement variability
- Use objective data more effectively to support treatment progression and clinical decision-making
Questions?
Contact us at info@getbacktosport.com
About Dr Claire Minshull
Claire is the Founder of Get Back To Sport, an international strength and conditioning education and training company focussed on rehabilitation, and Visiting Professor at Leeds Beckett University School of Health.
Claire has over 25 years of experience in the fields of academia, research and practice. She has personally conducted 1000s of assessments of muscle function and performance throughout her career ranging from assessing professional athletes in support of return to play decision-making, to monitoring patients undergoing rehabilitation for scientific research. She has written many peer-reviewed articles on measurement science and optimising assessment methods, and has an impressive track record of publications within the fields of strength and conditioning and rehabilitation.