June 4, 2026
The 20% Asymmetry No One Could See: How Rua Laboratories Delivers Lab-Grade Testing with PlateMate
Jack used PlateMate force plates at Rua Laboratories to catch a hidden landing asymmetry that visual analysis couldn't — and brought roughly 200 athletes into his lab in its first year.
The challenge: lab-grade data without the lab-grade compromises
After completing his PhD in Exercise Physiology and Sport Science, Jack built Rua Laboratories to deliver genuine, lab-quality performance testing in a private setting. Force plates were central to that — but finding the right ones proved harder than expected.
“Finding equipment that was affordable, accurate, lab-grade, strong, and versatile was absolutely huge for me.”
The obvious name didn’t fit. Having used VALD Performance during his PhD, Jack knew the platform well — but the commercial model was a dealbreaker.
“VALD Performance is often what people think of first, and it is also what I used during my PhD, but I personally had no interest in buying into a subscription model where I would never actually own my plates.”
Sizing was the other sticking point.
“I also found it surprisingly difficult to find force plates that were suitably sized for the type of testing I wanted to do. A lot of them felt like you were asking athletes to jump on postage stamps.”
How Rua Laboratories uses the plates
“At Rua Laboratories, I work with a wide range of athletes, from recreational athletes all the way up to international-level elite competitors.”
The plates sit at the centre of Rua’s performance testing packages, alongside VO2 max testing, lactate profiling, body composition analysis, sweat testing and detailed coaching consultations.
A typical session might include bilateral and unilateral countermovement jumps, 10-5 repeated hop tests, depth and drop jump variations, isometric mid-thigh pulls and loaded trap bar jump profiling — tracking jump height, peak force, rate of force development, reactive strength, asymmetries, landing forces and more.
But the data is only the starting point.
“The key part for me is not just testing for the sake of testing. Every athlete receives a detailed interpretation of what the data means, how it relates to their performance or injury history, and how we can use it to guide their training. The plates allow me to go from assessment, to interpretation, to exercise prescription with a much higher level of confidence.”
The result that proves it: a return-to-play call the eye couldn’t make
The clearest example came with an athlete roughly seven months out from ACL reconstruction. On video, everything looked symmetrical — nothing that would raise a red flag. The plates told a different story.
“During the jump phase, their asymmetry was only around 2%, which looked excellent. But during the landing phase, peak force asymmetries were reaching as high as 20% on initial contact with the plate, and only for a split second!”
“That was something we simply would not have caught properly without the force plate data. It showed us that the athlete still was not quite ready to return to play.”
A targeted four-week intervention focused on landing mechanics, force absorption and confidence brought the asymmetry back to zero — and the athlete returned with genuine confidence in the knee.
The business impact
“The force plates were the second major device I purchased, and they honestly helped take the business to a whole new level.”
Bringing PlateMate in early reshaped what Rua Laboratories could offer.
“Having access to high-quality force plate data allowed me to offer a more complete sports science service from very early on. It helped me stand out from competitors, create more advanced testing packages, and provide athletes with information they could not get from standard gym testing or visual coaching alone.”
“The plates gave me the ability to deliver lab-grade neuromuscular testing in a private performance setting, and that has been a big part of helping Rua Laboratories bring around 200 people into the lab in its first year.”
Want to see how force plates could fit into your workflow?
Book a demo and find out what owning your own lab-grade force plates can do for you — no subscription, ever.