Abstract
A comparison of PlateMate and the MyJump app have been made on three variables, jump height, contact time, and flight time. Nine elite athletes were tested and filmed, and the results were analysed via the PlateMate software (ForceMate) and the MyJump app. The results show a Pearson’s r>0,99 in all three variables, which is a very good corelation.
In the quest for accurate and reliable tools for performance assessment, PlateMate from CC Athletics shows a great level of agreement against the MyJump app. Coaches, therapists and athletes can confidently incorporate the PlateMate into their setup, ensuring that the results from the PlateMate are comparable to other similar products on the market.
The PlateMate ensures that you can test reliable and quickly, which is important both in a clinic as a physiotherapist and when testing a team of athletes.
When using the MyJump app you need to create a user and insert a lot of measurements (height, weight and more). Furthermore, conducting the analysis and filming the exercise takes a lot of time.
However, the PlateMate software calculates the weight automatically and the analysis is ready within 10 seconds with more than 50 metrics.
Introduction:
In the ever-evolving landscape of sports science and technology, athletes and coaches are constantly seeking reliable tools to assess and enhance performance. Two prominent contenders in this domain are PlateMate from CC Athletics and the MyJump app. The MyJump app has previously been tested up against other force platforms, and showed consistently high validity1,2,3,4. In this scientific blog post, we delve into an agreement study comparing these two technologies, aiming to provide valuable insights for physiotherapists, coaches, athletes, and researchers.
PlateMate from CC Athletics:
PlateMate is a force plate developed by CC Athletics, designed to measure various performance metrics related to jumps and isometric testing. Equipped with quality load cells, it promises to deliver accurate data on metrics such as jump height, velocity, power, and force, enabling athletes and coaches to fine-tune their training regimens.
MyJump App:
The MyJump app is a popular mobile application that utilizes videos and flight time to estimate jump height, power, and force. Renowned for its accessibility and ease of use, the app has gained traction among athletes and fitness enthusiasts seeking a practical tool for performance monitoring.
Methodology:
Nine elite athletes were recruited for this comparison. Participants performed 3 standardised drop jumps (DJ) on the PlateMate. All athletes were familiar with the testing protocol. The jumps were filmed from the front with a smartphone (OnePlus 6T) at 1080p and 240Hz, because Puel et al., (2023)5 concluded that an FPS over 240Hz does not improve accuracy.
Videos were analysed with the MyJump app on a MacBook Pro (apple inc.), whereas jump data from the PlateMate were analysed live in the accompanying software, ForceMate. Data were exported for statistical analysis.
Key Metric Analysed:
Jump height: Measured during vertical DJ. Jump height is calculated from flight time in both the MyJump app and from the PlateMate, even though the PlateMate can calculate jump height from the force impulse which have been concluded by Xu et al., (2023)6 to be the most appropriate way of calculating jump height.
Contact time and flight time is also analysed. Contact time is the time spent in contact with the floor. Whereas the flight time is the time spent in the air, between take-off and landing.
Data Collection and Analysis:
Data from both PlateMate and MyJump were collected simultaneously during the DJ. and descriptive statistics (Mean ± SD) were calculated for contact time (CT), flight time (FT) and jump height (JH) for both MyJump and PlateMate. The agreement was assessed as the Pearson correlation coefficient (r). Additionally, Bland-Altman plots and scatterplots were utilized to visualize the agreement between the two devices. (see Fig. 1-6)
Results:
Tabel 1: Results from both PlateMate and MyJump from the different variables, results are presented as Mean ± SD.
| Avg ± SD | Contact time | Flight time | Jump height |
| PlateMate | 0,198 ± 0,030 | 0,564 ± 0,041 | 0,392 ± 0,055 |
| MyJump | 0,206 ± 0,029 | 0,559 ± 0,042 | 0,385 ± 0,055 |
Scatter plot of the three variables, visualises the data gathered from both the PlateMate and MyJump app. For every graph there has been made a line of best fit, to examine the correlation between the two measurements.
Tabel 2: Results of the Pearson’s correlation of the three variables.
| Contact time | Flight time | Jump height | |
| Pearson’s (r) | 0,995 | 0,998 | 0,998 |
Figur 1: Scatter plot of jump height in meters from MyJump and PlateMate
Figur 2: Scatter plot of flight time in seconds from MyJump and PlateMate
Figur 3: Scatter plot of contact time in seconds from MyJump and PlateMate.
Figur 4: Bland-Altman plot of jump height.
Figur 5: Bland-Altman plot of contact time.
Figur 6: Bland-Altman plot of flight time.
The results presented indicate a high level of agreement (r > 0.99) between the PlateMate and MyJump across the variables. The Person’s r ranges from -1 to 1 with 1 or -1 being a perfect correlation between variables. Generally, a correlation between ± 0,7 ±1,0 is considered a strong correlation.
Conclusion:
In the quest for accurate and reliable tools for performance assessment, PlateMate from CC Athletics shows a great level of agreement against the MyJump app. Coaches, therapists and athletes can confidently incorporate the PlateMate into their setup, ensuring that the results from the PlateMate are comparable to other similar products on the market.
It is crucial to note that individual preferences, specific training goals, and budget considerations may influence the choice between PlateMate and MyJump. As technology continues to advance, ongoing research and updates to these devices are essential to ensure they meet the evolving needs of the sports and fitness communities.
The MyJump app needs to create a user and insert a lot of measurements (height, weight and more), and the analysis takes a lot of time, while the PlateMate calculates the weight automatically and the analysis is ready within 10 seconds with more than 50 metrics.
References:
- Balsalobre-Fernández, C., Glaister, M., & Lockey, R. A. (2015). The validity and reliability of an iPhone app for measuring vertical jump performance. Journal of sports sciences, 33(15), 1574-1579.
- Bogataj, Š., Pajek, M., Andrašić, S., & Trajković, N. (2020). Concurrent validity and reliability of my jump 2 app for measuring vertical jump height in recreationally active adults. Applied Sciences, 10(11), 3805.
- Bishop, C., Jarvis, P., Turner, A., & Balsalobre-Fernandez, C. (2022). Validity and Reliability of Strategy Metrics to Assess Countermovement Jump Performance Using the Newly Developed Smartphone Application. Journal of Human Kinetics, 83(1), 185-195.
- Gençoğlu, C., Ulupınar, S., Özbay, S., Turan, M., Savaş, B. Ç., Asan, S., & İnce, İ. (2023). Validity and reliability of “My Jump app” to assess vertical jump performance: a meta-analytic review. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 20137.
- Pueo, B., Hopkins, W., Penichet-Tomas, A., & Jimenez-Olmedo, J. (2023). Accuracy of flight time and countermovement-jump height estimated from videos at different frame rates with MyJump. Biology of Sport, 40(2).
Xu, J., Turner, A., Comfort, P., Harry, J. R., McMahon, J. J., Chavda, S., & Bishop, C. (2023). A systematic review of the different calculation methods for measuring jump height during the countermovement and drop jump tests. Sports Medicine, 53(5), 1055-1072.
